Traffic signal system set for upgradation
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 17 2011: In view of the increasing inconveniences caused to traffic in Imphal city by the Light Emitting Diode (LED) traffic signal system installed at Nityaipat Chuthek, all the five LED traffic signal systems installed at different parts of Imphal would be upgraded very soon.

An official source in the Transport Department informed that Works Department submitted a proposal to MAHUD Department for installation of 12 LED traffic signal systems in different parts of Imphal city in 2006 .

Subsequently, MAHUD Department submitted a proposal to the Union Ministry of Urban Development.

As against 12 traffic signal systems proposed by MAHUD, the Ministry of Urban Development gave approval for 10 .

Following the Ministry's approval, Division I EE of Works Department was entrusted the task of installing LED traffic signal systems at ten different places of Imphal city.

Under supervision of Division I EE, LED traffic signal systems were installed at North AOC, Khoyathong Junction, Nityaipat Chuthek, Keishampat and the Post Office junction by a company based at Secunderabad.

Traffic Chaos : Will a revamped traffic signal system do? File photo

After installation, the task of operating the traffic signal system was handed over to the Transport Department.

Before launching the LED traffic signal systems, the Transport Department in association with Traffic Police conducted several awareness programmes in February this year.

However, not long after the LED traffic signal system was commissioned, battery providing power to the system started malfunctioning.

Subsequently, Transport Department tied up with Electricity Department and made arrangements for power supply.

Even after this, the traffic signal system continued to be plagued by minor problems intermittently.

The most problematic one is the system installed at Nityaipat Chuthek.

Many are of the opinion that LED traffic signal system is not necessary at Nityaipat Chuthek in view of the very short distance which separates it from Post Office junction where another system is installed.

There is no problem for the vehicular traffic coming from Moirangkhom side towards Post Office junction and then towards Nityaipat Chuthek .

At all these five junctions where LED traffic signal systems have been installed, there is no problem in turning left.

The traffic taking left from these junctions do not require any traffic control signal for the traffic simply flows freely.

However, at Nityaipat Chuthek, the traffic signal system could not handle the heavy traffic coming from Post Office junction when vehicles turn right in front of Raj Bhavan where the vehicular traffic is mingled with those coming from Keishampat.

Taking due note of the failure of the current traffic signal system, Division I EE of PWD has been instructed to upgrade the system currently installed at Nityaipat Chuthek .

Already, a joint meeting has been held for officials of different departments involved in installing the traffic signal system at different stages, conveyed the source.