The prolonged failure of traffic signals across Jammu has pushed the city into daily gridlock, severely inconveniencing commuters. The traffic chaos stems from most signals installed under the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) being non-functional for months.
Major intersections, such as those outside the Civil Secretariat, near Women College Parade, and at Kachi Chawni Chowk, have turned into choke points. Traffic officials admit that many signals have malfunctioned since their installation, contributing to confusion and unregulated traffic flow.
The situation exacerbates due to ongoing construction at critical junctions like Satwari Chowk, Kunjwani Chowk, and along Narwal Road. Reduced road capacity, alongside an influx of vehicles due to the Darbar Move, winter migration from Kashmir and Ladakh, and the wedding season, increases pressure on already congested roads.
Without functional signals, intersections often descend into chaos. Traffic police struggle to manually regulate flow while commuters, including office-goers, students, and patients, face delays. Pedestrians frequently find themselves walking on busy carriageways, forced there by encroached footpaths.
Street vendor encroachments and illegal structures significantly narrow the road space, aggravating the congestion. Unregulated reharis, or street hawkers, emerge as bottlenecks in various markets and residential regions.
Commuters express growing concern over increased fuel consumption and pollution levels, as vehicles idle in prolonged traffic jams. Despite signals being out of order, challan cameras continue to monitor traffic, leading to frustration among motorists penalised for circumstances beyond their control.
Officials from the traffic department state that they are assessing the situation and plan to deploy additional personnel at busy junctions. However, they have not provided an official timeline for restoring the traffic signal system.
Residents now urge the district administration, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Jammu Smart City Limited, and the Traffic Police to take urgent actions. They demand not only the restoration of traffic signals but also the clearing of encroachments to enhance and streamline traffic flow throughout the city.
