Traffic signal near fire station needs to be manned

Traffic signal near fire station needs to be manned Traffic signals are made to ensure safety of people, but if instead of following rules people start breaking them, the result is utter chaos. A case in point is the traffic signal near Vashi fire station. RD Sharma, resident of Sector 14 says, "The traffic signal manages vehicles coming from four directions-- from Vashi highway towards Koper Khairane and vice versa. Also, many of these vehicles enter Sector 9 and 15 from this point. The road leading towards Sector 15 opens at Palm Beach Road, one of the busiest roads going towards KBP College, ICL School, NMMC Manisha School etc. The road entering Sector 9 leads to Gurudwara, Kannada Sangh, Jain Samaj, etc. This road is also used by students of Sai Nath High School and College, Fr Agnel School and College,Peerbhoy College, ICL College etc. and a link of this road also leads to NMMC General Hospital. And moreover while coming from Vashi Highway towards Koper Khairane is Vashi Bus Depot, which is hardly 200 meters away from this signal. This makes the spot more chaotic as here buses from all over Navi Mumbai and its outskirt pass through. "We live in Vashi and we have to pass through this signal very often. We face a very difficult situation because traffic on the road does not stop even after signal changes. At times, this leads to a very dangerous situation the possibility of an accident goes high. It may be shocking but true that not only private vehicle owners break the rules, but auto rickshaw, NMMT and BEST bus drivers are also doing the same". Recalling his experience with the traffic department, he says, "I have also approached the traffic department in February and soon traffic cops were deployed at the signal. The traffic remained orderly for some days. However, after one month the traffic cops vanished and unruly traffic was back at the signal. Presently, it is very difficult to cross the signal". Sharma says that he again approached the department and requested that penalty should be imposed on road users so that a message is sent across to violators. "Unfortunately, this time no response was given to me". "Unless road users are made to follow traffic rules, the situation would become too chaotic for even traffic police to handle in future when the number of vehicles increases. Residents of Vashi demand that traffic cops should be deployed permanently at the signal," says Sharma. —Jaspal Singh Naol