FAISALABAD: The traffic signalling system in the city is in a mess for quite some time.

Eight out of 29 signals have been running on stolen electricity for the last six months.

Besides, signals have either been removed or stolen from seven busy spots, including Hilal-e-Ahmar Chowk, GTS Chowk, Bole De Jhugi, Masjid Ibrahimi Mor, Sessions Court, Qabarstan Mor, Saddar Bazaar and Ghulam Mohammad. Over a dozen traffic signals have also been out of order for a couple of weeks, creating problems for wardens and motorists.

Fesco chief executive officer Rasheed Ahmed told Dawn that he was not aware of any such power theft and would get it checked.

Sources said currently, traffic signals of Radio Station Chowk, Rescue 15 Chowk, Saleemi Chowk, Gate Sattiana Chowk, Madni Chowk, Total Pump Chowk, Susan Chowk and Koh-e-Noor Chowk are operating on stolen electricity.

At some points signal timers have also gone out of order. Zaffar Ali, a motorist near Chenab Club Road, told Dawn that he had to apply breaks due to confusion as green and red signals were on simultaneously. He said the problem could lead to any fatal accident on this busy road.

He said the government officials were well aware of the traffic pressure on this road which was being used by buses and coaches plying between Faisalabad and other cities. “Signals on this road must be repaired immediately so that people could move safely.”

A traffic warden said he had to regulate traffic manually and feared that some reckless driver might hit him. He said since most of the motorists were in a hurry, they, sometimes, could not spot a warden manning traffic manually. He said he had narrow escapes on a couple of occasions.

He said the traffic police had requested the district government to get the faulty signals repaired and arrange meters but to no avail.

Chief traffic officer Arif Shahbaz Wazir said quarters concerned had been informed with a request to improve the situation. He said most of the wardens were regulating traffic manually. A district government official admitted that the traffic police had sent them a letter indicating that some signals were working without electricity meters which meant that electricity was being stolen.

He said it was up to top bosses to allocate funds for the repair of dysfunctional signals.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2017