Signals dead at Savarkar Chowk and Bengali Chowk in Chandrapur, motorists struggle

Traffic signals at two important junctions in Chandrapur city, Savarkar Chowk and Bengali Chowk, have been out of order for the past few days. Motorists passing through are facing considerable difficulty. Both junctions see heavy traffic through the day, and with the signals off, traffic is in disarray and people are risking their safety to find a way through.

Savarkar Chowk and Bengali Chowk are regarded as major hubs for the city's traffic. Two-wheelers, cars, autorickshaws and heavy vehicles pass through, and pedestrians are constantly on the move. The crowd grows during the morning office hours and in the evening when people return from work. With the very signal meant to control traffic out of action, motorists are left confused.

With the signals off, it is not clear which side's vehicles should be let go first. Each driver tries to find a way according to their own convenience, so jams often form at the junctions and long queues of vehicles build up at times. The possibility of minor accidents from drivers rushing through cannot be ruled out. Schoolchildren, the elderly and pedestrians are having the most trouble crossing the road.

Residents also complain that, with the signals off, there is no control over the speed of vehicles. The situation worsens when no traffic police are present at the spot. Motorists and citizens demand that the department responsible for keeping the city's traffic smooth take the problem seriously. If there is a technical fault in the signals, it should be fixed immediately, they say, and until repairs are complete, traffic police should be posted at both junctions to manage the flow properly.

Amol Barapatre, police inspector of the Chandrapur traffic branch, said the signal at Savarkar Chowk stopped working because of a short circuit. Repair work is under way and the signal will be restarted in a day or two. The signal poles at Bengali Camp Chowk have been bent by a truck, so repairing them will take four to five days. According to Barapatre, the traffic branch is making efforts to get both signals repaired.