In a bid to end the stalemate over provision of funds for maintenance of traffic signals, the District Road Safety-cum-Traffic Advisory Committee has decided to seek the help of the Coimbatore Corporation to maintain traffic signals.
At a meeting chaired by District Collector Archana Patnaik on February 20 and attended by City Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan, the Committee resolved to request the Coimbatore Corporation to maintain the signals. The civic body will entrust the work to the contractors under an open tender as per the provisions of the Tender Transparency Act.
The Coimbatore city has 47 signals, of which 26 are equipped with solar panels and uninterrupted power supply systems.
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On an average, the signals incur an electricity bill of Rs. 4,500 to Rs. 5,000 per month and the total bill for all the signals put together was around Rs. 12 lakh per annum.
In addition, replacement of damaged glasses, shell and bulbs of the signals also form part of the expenditure.
At present, the signals are entrusted with private agencies for maintenance in lieu of advertisement rights.
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While a few signals are maintained, the others are not because of the decision to hold back the renewal of their licence owing to violation of licensing norms.
A proposal was sent to the Government to provide funds for maintaining the signals in the city avoiding private advertisements and also to ensure compliance to the norms of the Indian Road Congress. Meanwhile, Government sanctioned Rs. 15 lakh for maintenance and revival of 186 cameras that were fitted in signals.
Even as the process of getting funds from the State Government was on, the Committee has decided to ask the Corporation maintain the signals through a contractor hired by open tender, said K. Kathirmathiyon, Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause and member of the Committee.
Mr.Viswanathan told The Hindu that the arrangement will be in place for a minimum stipulated period until the funds are sanctioned by the Government.