Traffic cops identify roads that need signs, signals

LUDHIANA: As the traffic police faced a rap from the high court on lack of proper traffic management in the city, the traffic police have identified roads where necessary signages and other road infrastructure are to be provided by the municipal corporation (MC) for better road safety. Setting a deadline of two months to complete the process, the high court has directed that Richa Agnihotri, assistant commissioner of police (traffic) shall forthwith identify the points where signages, markings on roads, and traffic lights are required, and then hold a meeting with MC Ludhiana.Justice Rajive Bhalla has passed many orders - including this one on November 20 - after hearing an ongoing petition related to traffic regulations in Ludhiana city.
"We have identified the roads were signages, markings on roads, and traffic lights are required. The roads are Chandigarh-Samrala road, Jalandhar Byepass, Dholewal towards Sherpur, Sherpur to Dhandari, and Gill Road up to Gill Nehar. As the orders have been passed by the honourable High court, MC too might have got the same. As directed by the HC, our representative will be meeting MC for the same, so that the process is completed as soon as possible," said additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP) traffic, Harjinder Singh. He added that it is important to have such infrastructure on the roads for better road safety.
Meanwhile, traffic police sources said that the bad state of road infrastructure, including lights, signages, and markings on the roads, have been brought to the notice of MC, but the corporation has not acted on the issue. They added that even lights on key roads, including Vardhaman Chowk and Bharat Nagar Chowk are not working properly, but the MC, despite several requests, is not getting the error rectified.
Meanwhile, road safety experts say that lights, signages and markings on the road are very important to prevent road accidents. "Accidents in the city have already reached 500, with around 320 deaths reported last year, so there is need for better road safety infrastructure. The agency concerned should get the road safety infrastructure done immediately, as it concerns the lives of residents," said Kamaljit Soi, international road safety expert.