Rawalpindi: Faulty signals create traffic problems at Benazir Bhutto Road

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Wardens regulate traffic manually only hardly
* Motorists, commuters troubled

By Imran Asghar

RAWALPINDI: Faulty traffic signals on Benazir Bhutto Road are creating several problems for motorists while traffic wardens fail to regulate traffic.

A visit to this road reveals that traffic singles installed on 12 roundabouts including Flash Man, Haider, Marrir, Motti Mehal, Liaqat, Committee Chowk, Naz Cinema Chowk, Chandni Chowk, Fifth Road, Sixth Road, Shamsabad Chowk and Hamza Camp are not working.

The faulty signals are hindering traffic flow, which the wardens have to regulate manually. In this mess, dangers for accidents are increasing.

“Traffic signals on this road have gone out of order for four months and wardens regulate the traffic in a traditional way, which is not yielding satisfactory results,” said a traffic warden, deputed near Committee Chowk. He said traffic situation became worst at night when road users could not see the wardens properly.

“Due to invisibility at night, most vehicles could not obey traffic rules. Abrupt stops on roundabouts can cause traffic accidents,” he said. He said the authorities concerned should notice the situation and repair the signals.

Commuters and motorists said faulty traffic signals were a cause of concern and urged the government to replace them.

Muhammad Amjad, a cabbie, said traffic jams on each part of the road had become a routine matter due to faulty traffic signals.

Muhammad Saeed, a commuter, said traffic officials were compelled to regulate traffic manually and installation of new signals would reduce their woes.

A warden said they avoid giving tickets to violators because the infrastructure was faulty. He said wardens were overburdened because of manual regulation of traffic regularly.

A spokesperson of City Traffic Police said Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) had set aside funds to improve road infrastructure including repair and replacement of faulty signals.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg11_4