Jammu city is grappling with severe traffic congestion due to non-functional traffic signals, leading to daily gridlock for commuters. This predicament raises serious concerns about urban traffic management.
Traffic signals, part of the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), remain non-functional for extended periods, creating choke points at major intersections. Key locations such as the Civil Secretariat, Women College Parade, and Kachi Chawni Chowk exemplify this issue, with officials acknowledging inadequate functionality since their installation.
The ongoing construction works at Satwari Chowk, Kunjwani Chowk, and along Narwal Road have further exacerbated the situation, reducing road capacity and contributing to the chaos. A surge of vehicles due to the Darbar Move, winter migration from Kashmir and Ladakh, alongside the wedding season, has compounded the already strained traffic conditions.
Without operational traffic signals, intersections often descend into disorder, compelling traffic police personnel to manually manage movement. Daily delays affect office-goers, students, and patients, while pedestrians navigate crowded carriageways due to encroached footpaths.
Officials confirmed that encroachments by street vendors and illegal constructions have narrowed road access, intensifying the congestion. Additionally, unregulated reharis create critical bottlenecks throughout markets and residential areas, aggravating the issue.
Commuters express growing frustration over increased fuel consumption and rising pollution, as vehicles sit idle in lengthy traffic jams. Motorsits feel further aggravated as operational challan cameras continue to issue fines despite these challenging circumstances.
Officials from the traffic department indicated that they are assessing the situation and preparing to deploy additional personnel at busy intersections. However, no definitive timeline has been provided for restoring the traffic signal system.
In light of these escalating concerns, residents are calling on the district administration, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Jammu Smart City Limited, and the Traffic Police for swift action. They urge restoration of traffic signals, removal of encroachments, and effective measures to streamline traffic flow across the city.
