The prolonged failure of traffic signals across Jammu city has resulted in severe congestion, causing daily inconvenience to commuters and raising concerns about urban traffic management. Most signals installed under the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) remain non-functional, turning major intersections into choke points.
Several signals at prominent locations, including outside the Civil Secretariat, near Women College Parade, and at Kachi Chawni Chowk, are either defunct or poorly positioned. Officials admit that many of these signals have not functioned optimally since their installation, leading to confusion and unregulated traffic movement.
The situation has worsened due to ongoing construction at Satwari Chowk, Kunjwani Chowk, and along Narwal Road, which have reduced road capacity. The influx of additional vehicles, owing to the Darbar Move, winter migration from Kashmir and Ladakh, and the ongoing marriage season has further pressed congested roads.
In the absence of functional traffic signals, countless intersections descend into chaos, forcing traffic police to manually regulate movement. Office-goers, students, and patients face regular delays, while pedestrians have to navigate carriageways due to encroached footpaths, risking their safety on busy roads.
Officials reported that footpath encroachments by street vendors and illegal structures significantly narrow road space, aggravating congestion. Unregulated reharis have emerged as major bottlenecks in several markets and residential areas, further complicating the traffic scenario.
Commuters express concern over increased fuel consumption and rising pollution levels due to prolonged traffic jams. Despite the state of non-functional signals, challan cameras continue to operate, leading to resentment among motorists who argue they face penalties due to issues beyond their control.
Traffic department officials acknowledged the ongoing struggles and said they are working to assess the situation and deploy additional manpower at busy junctions. However, no official timeline for restoring the traffic signal system has been announced yet.
Residents have urged the district administration, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Jammu Smart City Limited, and the Traffic Police to take immediate action. They seek restoration of traffic signals, clearing of encroachments, and effective measures to streamline traffic flow across Jammu.
