Synchronise all traffic signals: Minister

​Visakhapatnam: Vexed with the regular traffic snarls and traffic jams due to growing traffic problem day by day in the city, HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao held a meeting with Collector N Yuvaraj, Civic Chief Praveen Kumar, Commissioner of Police Yoganand, Deputy Transport Commissioner Venkateswara Rao and officials of RTC, National Highways and Road & Buildings here on Sunday.

It may be recalled here that vehicle users passing through junctions like NAD Kotha Road, Hanumanthuwaka, Isakathota (MVP double road), Prakasaraopet and Mahendra junction (earlier it was Satyam junction) regularly face traffic problems. Though the problem was being discussed many a time, no action has been taken leaving the people in trouble.

Airport-bound passengers were not able to catch their flights due to traffic jams. Issues pertaining to the construction of subways, foot over bridges, controlling of heavy vehicles in city limits in a day time, irregular stopping of autos and earmarking of parking lots were discussed at the meeting.

The Minister asked the GVMC and City Police officials to speed up work at the traffic island at Hanumanthuwaka and to chalk out a design to redress the traffic problem at the NAD Kotha Road junction. He also asked to speed up the construction of multi-storeyed building complexes meant for parking purpose at all important areas in the city and to utilise the enforcement wing of Deputy Transport Commissioner to streamline the traffic problem.

Srinivasa Rao further suggested the officials to synchronise all traffic signals to ensure green light at the second signal point by the time the vehicle users reach the second point, which would also ease the traffic problem. City Traffic Advisory Committee was being set up, which would submit its report in 10 days to find a permanent solution to the traffic problem, he added.