Last Updated on March 29, 2022 at 11:00 am
Much hyped and much awaited intelligent traffic signals project seems to be a distant dream in Srinagar. The project is yet to be completed despite crores of rupees have been already invested.
As per reports, installation of Intelligent Traffic Lighting System at new locations in Srinagar had been taken up with the Chief Engineer, PWD (R&B) Department, Kashmir and the agency working on the project has been issued show cause notice due to delay in work, recently.
No progress had been achieved in the allotment of the second phase of the project to be executed at an estimated cost of Rs 10.46 crore. The project is incomplete.
Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) proposed the installation and up-gradation of the Intelligent Traffic Lighting System in Srinagar city. After the project approval in December 2016, total cost of Rs 15.92 crore was divided into two phases and work on Phase I was scheduled to be completed in 6 months and was allotted at a cost of Rs 4.15 crore to a contractor. Phase-I consisted of installation of 5 Junctions, up-gradation of 5 Junctions, Standalone 10 Junctions, RLVD-1 Junction, and installation of the centralized control room at an estimated cost of Rs 5.46 crore.
As per reports, due to delay in permission for road cuttings, contractor could not take up execution of work from March 2017 to September 2017 and finally started work earlier and had completed 65 percent of the work, as of September 2020. The tall claims of administration for smart city seems to be vanishing in air as there is no further progress in installation of Intelligent Traffic Lighting System despite spending so much funds.
