Traffic signals at several intersections across the city are not functioning, leading to traffic congestion. The traffic police blame it on Cyclone Vardah, that hit the city five months ago. Of the 383 signals in the city, 114 were damaged in the cyclone. Some of them can be repaired, while the rest of them need to be replaced. Besides this, 47 signals have been switched off due to developmental reasons.
Signals at Whites road, Anna Salai, St Mary's Road, Chamiers Road in Nandanam, Madipakkam next to the Velachery bridge, mallthe signal on the road under Gemini flyover, LB Road have been working irregularly over the past few weeks.
Signals at Whites Road next to Express AveMall, Mount Road next to Spencers Plaza, and St. Mary's Road and C P Ramaswamy Road intersection were among those which were not functioning on Wednesday. Some dysfunctional signals work irregularly, such as the signal under Moopanar flyover in Nandanam.
"When I travel before the peak hours through Gemini flyover in the morning, there are either no traffic lights or they are frozen on red or amber," said Sruti Srivatsan, a college student who commutes by a two-wheeler. "There are people just trying to make their way around and fit themselves when there is a break in the flow of traffic," she added.
A traffic policeman said, every day between 6.30 am to 7 am, a report is given to the traffic control room on dysfunctional signals. " As some of these signals were installed long back, electric faults might occur, but the action is taken to prevent it and to correct it if it does," he said.
A staffer at the traffic control room said they got daily reports and necessary action was taken. But there has been an increase in the number of complaints since the cyclone in December. The staffer added that the most frequent complaints are received regarding Anna Salai and Whites Road signal near Express Avenue mall.
Abhay Kumar Singh, additional CoP (Traffic) said "After the Cyclone Vardah, 114 signals across Chennai were damaged, out of which 58 can be repaired and the process for that is underway by our annual maintenance contractor." He added that 56 of the remaining signal requires complete replacement as they are old.
"During peak hours, signals are often shifted to manual function as it is easier for policemen to manage the flow of traffic then," he added. And 47 signals have been switched off due to one-way roads and developmental reasons. Daily reports on faulty signals which are submitted to the control room are acted upon by the company which does maintenance."There is a system in place and we are working towards full restoration of all signals actively," he said.
Signals at Whites road, Anna Salai, St Mary's Road, Chamiers Road in Nandanam, Madipakkam next to the Velachery bridge, mallthe signal on the road under Gemini flyover, LB Road have been working irregularly over the past few weeks.
Signals at Whites Road next to Express AveMall, Mount Road next to Spencers Plaza, and St. Mary's Road and C P Ramaswamy Road intersection were among those which were not functioning on Wednesday. Some dysfunctional signals work irregularly, such as the signal under Moopanar flyover in Nandanam.
"When I travel before the peak hours through Gemini flyover in the morning, there are either no traffic lights or they are frozen on red or amber," said Sruti Srivatsan, a college student who commutes by a two-wheeler. "There are people just trying to make their way around and fit themselves when there is a break in the flow of traffic," she added.
A traffic policeman said, every day between 6.30 am to 7 am, a report is given to the traffic control room on dysfunctional signals. " As some of these signals were installed long back, electric faults might occur, but the action is taken to prevent it and to correct it if it does," he said.
A staffer at the traffic control room said they got daily reports and necessary action was taken. But there has been an increase in the number of complaints since the cyclone in December. The staffer added that the most frequent complaints are received regarding Anna Salai and Whites Road signal near Express Avenue mall.
Abhay Kumar Singh, additional CoP (Traffic) said "After the Cyclone Vardah, 114 signals across Chennai were damaged, out of which 58 can be repaired and the process for that is underway by our annual maintenance contractor." He added that 56 of the remaining signal requires complete replacement as they are old.
"During peak hours, signals are often shifted to manual function as it is easier for policemen to manage the flow of traffic then," he added. And 47 signals have been switched off due to one-way roads and developmental reasons. Daily reports on faulty signals which are submitted to the control room are acted upon by the company which does maintenance."There is a system in place and we are working towards full restoration of all signals actively," he said.