Traffic at the busy TVS Junction at Kalamassery has gone haywire after the traffic signal there was damaged in an accident six days ago.
Traffic jams have increased at the junction, identified as a black spot by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC). A lorry had rammed the signal post, damaging the cable. The vehicle has not yet been identified, though CCTV footage of the accident has been recovered, according to the Traffic (East) police.
A major accident had occurred at the junction on August 14 after a car rammed a two-wheeler. Shyam, a bus conductor, who was riding the two-wheeler was severely injured in the incident. The police have blocked entry to South Kalamassery from the national highway after the traffic signal got damaged. Though a police officer has been deployed to regulate the movement of vehicles, traffic jams continue to occur during peak hours.
Senior Traffic (East) wing officials said they had contacted a private agency that had supported the installation of the traffic signal at the junction earlier. “As we do not get funds either from the government or the National Highways Authority of India for installation of traffic signal posts, we have to often depend on sponsorship by private groups,” they said. The agency has agreed to rectify the damage and re-install the signal post within three days. The signal was expected to start functioning within a week, they added.
