NEW DELHI: In a bid to enhance traffic management and reduce unnecessary expenses, the Delhi Police is planning to conduct a comprehensive survey of traffic signals across the national capital. The survey will focus on identifying signals that have become redundant due to changes in traffic patterns, road infrastructure or urban planning.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic Headquarters), Satyavir Katara, stated that the study will assess the relevance and necessity of each traffic signal. The objective is to determine whether signals should remain in their current locations, be relocated or removed entirely. “This survey will help us evaluate which signals are essential and which can be removed or repositioned to improve efficiency,” Katara said.
He added that the initiative is expected to streamline traffic flow and ease congestion in key areas. Currently, there are more than 1,000 traffic signals across the city. A detailed plan for further development will be formulated once the survey is completed.
"We will assign traffic staff to various signals. They will analyse the on-ground situation and submit their reports. Based on these reports, we will determine which signals are necessary and which can be shifted,” Katara said. One of the primary goals of the survey is to minimise the financial burden of maintaining unnecessary traffic signals.
Signals require regular maintenance, power supply, and operational checks, all of which contribute to the city’s expenses. By removing redundant signals, the authorities hope to reduce these costs while improving traffic management.
The police also emphasised that removing redundant signals would allow for smoother traffic flow. For example, if there is a traffic signal located between two flyovers with a distance of only 100 to 200 metres, it could be removed to avoid hindering traffic movement. This would enable vehicles to make U-turns under the flyovers without interruption.
A leaked report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) during the first assembly session revealed that the countdown timers installed at traffic signals help drivers make informed decisions about whether to switch off their vehicle engines, which can reduce emissions when vehicles are idling. However, the report highlighted that 40% of these countdown timers were not functioning properly, with many traffic signals showing malfunctions and a lack of advisory messages.
As of March 2020, Delhi Police had installed 1,029 traffic signals and 1,018 countdown timers across the city.
Plan to Ease Congestion
Primary focus on identifying signals that have become redundant due to changes in traffic patterns, road infrastructure or urban planning
The objective is to determine whether signals should remain in their current locations, be relocated or removed entirely
According to the officials, the initiative is expected to streamline traffic flow and ease congestion in key areas
Currently, there are more than 1,000 traffic signals across the national capital
One of the primary goals of the survey is to minimise the financial burden of maintaining unnecessary traffic signals, officials said
A detailed plan for further development will be formulated once the survey is completed