GUWAHATI: The non-functional traffic lights at Khanapara, a critical crossing in the city, have become a cause for concern, particularly after a recent accident on Diwali night near the Khanapara overbridge. Despite the potential for chaos at this busy junction, residents complain of inconsistent traffic management and the continued absence of functional lights.
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Talking to GPlus, Mohan Talukdar, a resident in Khanapara said, “The traffic lights at the Khanapara overbridge, the same spot where the Diwali night accident occurred, have been non-functional for several days now. With such incidents happening, why has not this issue been addressed yet?”
Another Guwahati resident seeking anonymity highlighted the lack of traffic police presence at the junction.
He said, “Most times, there are no traffic personnel manning the crossing, even after such a serious incident. I crossed the signal just a few minutes ago during peak hours, and there was no one managing the traffic. This has been happening repeatedly for the last week.”
The absence of both functional traffic lights and traffic police is leading to chaos at the junction, residents said, making the area prone to accidents.
When asked about the situation, a senior Guwahati Traffic Police official attributed the issue to technical errors.
“There might be technical issues with the lights, which is why they are not functioning. However, traffic police officials are stationed there regularly. One shift runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and another stays on duty till 10 p.m.,” the official said.