The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Stop, look and...

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Friday, Nov 10, 2006
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Stop, look and...

Staff Reporter

Ad boards block traffic signals

UTTER NEGLIGENCE: Traffic signals continue to be partially obstructed even after the police removed the vinyl flex of the revolving advertisement boards at Rasoolpura on Thursday. — PHOTO: P. V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: Traffic congestion at Rasoolpura junction is common. But an uncommon reason threw traffic out of gear on Thursday morning at this bustling intersection.

Advertising billboards installed overnight at four different corners of the rotary blocked view of the traffic signal posts.

Traffic movement was thrown out of gear with the confused commuters stopping their vehicles before the rotary not to know whether to move forward or not.

"I stopped as I could not see the signal lights," Sudhir, a commuter said. He felt that the new revolving billboards blocked their view.

Wondering how the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad, which has a separate traffic engineering wing, permitted installation of the billboards, Mr. Sudhir asked who should be blamed if the confused commuters meet with accidents.

"Even a layman from a distance can understand the boards completely cover the signal lights. Then, how can the advertising agency install them," Shiva of Karkhana questioned.

The Traffic police had to post four home guards to regulate vehicle movement since the confusion led to congestion on all four routes that converge on the intersection. Despite the policemen physically directing the vehicle flow, the disorder continued.

`No response'

Unable to answer the queries of passengers, one of the frustrated policemen tore off the white panels of the hoardings.

"I tried to contact the MCH office but none responded. Let the higher-ups say whatever they want but removing the panels was the only option that struck me," he maintained.

When contacted, the MCH staff maintained that the officer-in-charge was in a meeting.

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Andhra Pradesh