Traffic signals black out

Vijayawada: Vijayawada is facing severe traffic problems due to increase of vehicles and break down of traffic signals at arterial junctions. Two national highways pass through the city adding to traffic woes. According to Transport department, eight lakh vehicles are in the city, including four lakh two-wheelers.

In addition to these vehicles, every day two lakh vehicles pass through the city. Blackout of traffic signals is also worsening the problem in the city. Only 26 traffic signals out of 66 are working. Being the capital of State, the vehicles of the VVIPs, Ministers, senior IAS, IPS officers, traders, businessmen, and foreign delegates come to the city regularly.

Due to security reasons, the city police are implementing several traffic restrictions on Mahatma Gandhi Road, popularly known as Bandar Road. Traffic on this road is diverted to other roads to keep it ready for the VIP movements.

This is causing traffic problems at arterial junctions in the city. Traffic signals are not working at Police Control Room junction, Bandar Locks, Sub-Collectorate Junction, Old bus stand, Challapalli Bungalow, Apsara junction and Ramavarappadu Ring junction on Eluru road.

On some occasions, even traffic constables or home guards are also not posted for duty to regulate the traffic. Rash driving by youth and learners is creating panic to the denizens, said a senior citizen S Padmanabha Rao, a resident of Mogharajpuram. Women and children are afraid of rash driving, he added.

Benz Circle and Ramavarappadu ring road are the most important junctions since they receive national highway traffic. More than 70,000 vehicles pass through these two junctions every day causing a lot of traffic congestion, particularly in peak hours.

Increasing number of shopping complexes, educational institutions, private and government offices, shops and commercial establishments is creating more traffic problems. Only a limited number of roads in the city were widened during the last 20 years.

Police commissioner Gautham Sawang said, “The police are giving utmost priority to resolve the traffic problem and trying to draft as many personnel as possible to regulate the traffic and are monitoring the traffic through CC cameras and trying to curb violations.

The Commissioner is strengthening the traffic divisions in the city by constructing two more traffic police stations at Krishnalanka and Machavaram area and posting inspectors and sub-inspectors. He gave high priority to traffic sector and is trying to divert the traffic to inner ring road and BRTS roads for the convenience of people and trying to make Vijayawada a traffic free city,” said a senior inspector in the city on Thursday.