To bring back discipline to the traffic system of the city, automatic traffic signals were placed on a test basis on twenty roads but they are not playing any effective role. Due to signal lights, there are tailbacks on one side while roads on the other remain free.
To avoid creating disarray on the streets, the police are controlling vehicles by hand gestures. After fixing signal lights which had been inoperative for long, the police tried to control traffic through signals but the automatic signals did not provide the desired results.
A traffic sergeant near Panthapath intersection, said, “It’s difficult to control with signals and, therefore, we are resorting to hand gestures.”
Another sergeant says that controlling with signals is possible only during the day time of Friday, which is a holiday.
“When there is too much vehicular pressure, controlling with signals is not possible.”
One driver said, “Last week we saw traffic controlled by signals whereas this week it’s done manually.”
This may confuse drivers, he added.
In the meantime, 88 signals of both city corporations are being brought under automatic traffic signal. Urban planner of Dhaka South City Corporation, Sirajul Islam says, “We are transferring the whole system to the police.”
Joint commissioner, traffic (south), Mofizuddin Ahmed, observed, “There are too many cars in Dhaka; on weekdays, it’s difficult to control traffic with signals.”
Therefore, police on the road have to rely on hand signals.
Since adherence to automatic signals stopped some time ago, we are trying to bring back the habit among drivers, he added.