Defunct traffic lights pose threat to commuters

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, February 21

Non-functional traffic lights on state and national highways are posing a threat to the lives of commuters, especially during night.

Power connections of some of these have been snapped as their bills are still pending. Sources said Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Sandeep Kumar had taken up the issue of the upkeep of traffic lights with senior officials in the state government.

According to information, no one department is fully responsible for their upkeep at present. Recently, police officials requested the Deputy Commissioner to clear the pending power bills of certain traffic lights on national highways.

The Deputy Commissioner said the power bills of traffic lights were being paid by his office through various heads as no department had been entrusted with the responsibility of their upkeep and payment of power bills so far. “I have taken up the matter with the Secretary, Finance, as traffic lights cannot be operated on an adhoc basis,” he added.

Sources said various police officials during their tenures in the district got traffic lights installed on national and state highways to regulate traffic. The cost was borne by different departments. However, no provisions were made for the permanent upkeep of traffic lights.

The district administration is now mulling handing over the upkeep of traffic lights on national and state highway to the Road Safety Council. The council has adequate funds and traffic lights also come under the category of road safety.

However, till the final decision is taken, some of the vital traffic lights on national and state highways may remain switched off.

No provision for their upkeep 

• Power connections of some of the traffic lights installed on state and national highways have been snapped as their bills have not been paid so far
• According to information, no one department is fully responsible for their upkeep at present. Recently, police officials requested the Deputy Commissioner to clear the pending power bills of certain traffic lights on national highways
• The Deputy Commissioner said power bills of the traffic lights were being paid by his office though various heads   

.