8 signals to go live again within 2 months

In order to regulate vehicular traffic more efficiently, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to make eight closed signals functional and set up six cantilever traffic poles at various chowks in the city.

The PMC’s move comes in the wake of a request by city traffic police on the issue. The eight spots where the traffic signals will become functional again are Muktangan in Yerawada, New English School and Tilak Smarak Mandir on Tilak road, Dhobi Ghat and Vega Centre Chowk on Shankarsheth road, Government Milk Dairy on Pune-Mumbai Road, Govind Halwai Chowk and Chittaranjan Vatika in Model Colony.

The Traffic Planning Department of the PMC had closed these eight signals about three years ago on the instructions of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic). However, a couple of months ago the current DCP (traffic) tabled a new traffic plan before the civic body and said that the closed signals be made functional.

City Engineer (traffic planning) said that the civic body has already floated a tender to operationalise the signals and put up cantilever poles at six places worth Rs 25 lakh. The signals will be made operational within the next two months.

The cantilever poles for better visibility of signals form distance, will be set up at Narpatigiri Chowk, ABC Farms, Shanipar Big Bazaar, Prabhat Road T junction and Bhandarkar Road.

Junior Engineer (traffic planing) PMC in his letter written to the PMC, had stated that if these signals become functional then traffic will be regulated efficiently and also said that the cantilever poles will be set up for better visibility of signals as often the poles are located on the middle of the road and are not visible due to trees or when heavy vehicles stop at the signals.