We are past the 30-second traffic signal duration! The Mumbai Traffic Police officials say that the fixed traffic signal durations are more likely to cause traffic jams, hence, a flexible timer does help them to decongest roads, and let the traffic move seamlessly.
Initially, every traffic signal would go green for 30 seconds to 1 minute. The latter is when the road receives heavy traffic movements. Lately, traffic authorities don’t prefer a pre-fixed timer, instead go for a manually controlled traffic timer. For example, on the South Mumbai roads, especially in and near the Nariman Point areas, the signals stay for two to two-and-a-half minutes. This is mainly during the peak hours, in the morning and evening, when heavy numbers of public transport, and private vehicles ferry through inside out.
Too much waiting time gets commuters frustrated
At some point, people get frustrated that their vehicles have to wait for the signal to go green and just two minutes feel like an eternity. However, traffic cops feel it, seamlessly, manages the traffic flow.
“Some have told us the timer is too long as compared to other roads in Mumbai, but although roads here (SoBo) are wider, the number of buses – both private and BEST – is higher in number. If we shorten the time, the backlog traffic is generated – which will only slow the movement. Moreover, vehicles are coming from all four directions, and going towards all four directions. Keeping an eye on the pace, and avoiding any interruption is the key to managing traffic. Some days, in case of any VIP movements or obstruction, based on the flow of traffic, we manually manage the traffic signal duration,” said a senior traffic official.
Traffic at Haji Ali junction
Similarly, the Haji Ali junction, known to be one of the busiest junctions – is again a four-way route. Its connected routes are Lala Lajpat Rai Road, Tardeo Road, Peddar Road and Central Mall Road. On a regular day, the traffic timer is set at 180 seconds, but as the rush increases or in case of heavy rains, the timer is scheduled at fewer seconds or higher – as preferred – to avoid congestion.
"Once traffic seems to get accumulated, it can impact at a larger distance, so we always have our men on the road ready who look at the situation on the ground, and give us real-time updates. Accordingly, the timer is set or in some cases, the lights are turned off, and our officer handles it on the ground,” said a local traffic personnel.
Traffic timers should be based on 'rush hour'
Activist Kamalkar Shenoy feels that traffic timers should be set based on the “rush hour”. “In the case of SoBo, the northbound has heavy traffic in the evening as people return to their homes, and in the morning, the southbound, as they come to their offices for work. The other bound is empty in both instances, so they don’t need a signal duration of more than 30 seconds. This way, they can balance it out to avoid traffic jams,” Shenoy explained.
However, he thinks that more than the timers or signal management, what would affect the traffic situation is the eradication of footpath encroachment. “The authorities – local police, traffic police and the BMC – are hand in gloves with the encroachers. They get their ‘hafta’ from them and as long as that persists, our city will never be out of this traffic mess. Other than the encroachment problem – which also takes up our footpaths – our city does not have other alarming problems causing traffic menace,” Shenoy added.
Voice of Motorists, Commuters
Indrajit Patil, a commuter:
“I have been coming to Nariman Point for the past 40 years, using public transport. Trains and buses. In the past 2 years, I’ve noticed how ridiculously long the traffic signals have gotten. From Churchgate station to Mantralaya, we took not more than 7 to 8 minutes, via bus. Now it takes 20 minutes or more. So much for electric vehicles, the best of the best roads, and efficient technology yet I arrive late to work!”
Binoy Gupto, motorist:
I travel every day from the suburbs to SoBo and I can tell it takes fewer minutes to pass SoBo than the suburbs. Starting from Dadar towards Sion, the signal timer is 2 minutes, but the queue is longer so 2 minutes is not enough. At SoBo, it’s 1 minute and it’s more than enough as roads are wider, and fewer vehicles are on roads during off-peak hours. In some ways, manual traffic timers work, but I think it cannot be helped in the suburbs.
