The prolonged failure of traffic signals across Jammu city has resulted in severe traffic congestion, causing daily inconvenience to commuters and raising serious concerns over urban traffic management. Most traffic lights installed under the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) remain non-functional for months, turning major intersections into choke points.
Several signals installed at prominent locations are either defunct or poorly positioned. Areas outside the Civil Secretariat, near Women College Parade, and at Kachi Chawni Chowk have become notorious for their signal issues. Officials admit that many of the signals have not functioned optimally since their installation, leading to confusion and unregulated traffic movement.
The situation aggravated due to ongoing construction works at major junctions, including Satwari Chowk, Kunjwani Chowk and along Narwal Road, reducing overall road capacity. The influx of additional vehicles due to the Darbar Move, ongoing winter migration from Kashmir and Ladakh, as well as the wedding season, has further compounded pressure on already congested roads.
In the absence of functional traffic signals, intersections frequently descend into chaos. Traffic police personnel now struggle to manually regulate movement, causing significant delays for office-goers, students, and patients. Pedestrians find themselves navigating along the carriageways as footpaths remain encroached upon.
Footpath encroachments by street vendors and illegal structures have narrowed road space substantially, aggravating congestion. Unregulated street hawkers have emerged as major bottlenecks in numerous markets and residential areas.
Commuters express concerns over rising fuel consumption and increased pollution levels as vehicles remain trapped in long traffic jams for extended periods. Despite signals being non-functional, challan cameras continue to operate, leading to resentment among motorists. Drivers feel unfairly penalized for situations beyond their control.
Traffic department officials state they are assessing the situation and deploying additional manpower at busy junctions. However, an official timeline for restoring the traffic signal system remains unannounced.
Residents have urged the district administration, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Jammu Smart City Limited, and the Traffic Police to take immediate measures. They seek restoration of traffic signals, clearance of encroachments, and an overall improvement in traffic management across the city.