Raj Patil
Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Nearly 90 per cent of traffic signals between Pyramid Chowk and Harsul Chowk are either defunct or switched off and the city is paying the price every single day.
The signal at Pyramid Chowk, connecting Prozone Mall Road and Harsul Road, has been non-functional for almost two years. The Municipal Corporation blames ongoing construction, while traffic police say the wait has gone on far too long. On the Harsul side of Pyramid Chowk, signals stay red for unusually long periods. On the Prozone Mall side, green and red lights flash simultaneously a recipe for disaster. Even at Vasantrao Naik Chowk, one arm of the signal system remains out of order, and the Pyramid Chowk- Harsul T-point stretch adds to the disorder. "The malfunction is causing heavy congestion during peak hours. New commuters are confused while regular ones have adapted, but the chaos persists," said Kailas Sable, Traffic Constable, Pyramid Chowk. With the Cidco belt already burdened by multiple infrastructure projects, residents warn that this negligence is an accident waiting to happen and demand immediate restoration.
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22 poles, zero signals, one big mess
A total of 5 signal points, 16 old poles and 6 newly installed, from Pyramid Chowk to Harsul are non-functional. All three key stretches Prozone Road, Harsul Road, and towards Pyramid Chowk are affected, leaving commuters to navigate one of the city's busiest intersections with no signal guidance due to ongoing road construction.
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Same Signal, Different Battles
Habit Born Out of Helplessness
"I travel daily from Mukundwadi. Over time I have learned to read the signals myself when all signals at Pyramid Chowk turn red, I know ours will go green. That is how I survive the chaos every day."
- Yash More, IT Professional
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Lost at a dead signal
"It was my first time at Pyramid Chowk. I saw red and stopped but everyone honked and forced me to move. A traffic policeman had to step in. A broken signal is truly hazardous."
- Sumetra Rathi, 45, Bank Employee
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Letters sent, city ignored
We have written to the municipal corporation multiple times regarding the Harsul and Pyramid signal, but they have not acted. Repeated requests for repairs have yielded zero response. This is no longer just an inconvenience it is a serious threat to public safety.
- ACP Subhash Bhujang, Traffic Branch