Jaiprakash Nagar to Khamla-Sahakar Nagar stretch has turned into one of the most frustrating commute corridors for people, largely due to a faulty traffic signal system and unregulated roadside parking. What was once a smooth connecting road has now become a choke point, causing long delays, especially during office and school hours. The primary issue stems from the traffic signal, near the erstwhile mutton market, that works only intermittently. On some days it remains operational for a few minutes and on others, it simply shuts down without warning. The irregular functioning leaves motorists confused, resulting in haphazard movement from all four sides. With no traffic police personnel deployed during these crucial hours, the situation escalates quickly, leading to severe congestion. Commuters complain that when the signal shuts down, the junction turns chaotic within minutes.

 

Vehicles begin merging unsystematically, two-wheelers attempt to squeeze through tiny gaps and cars frequently get stuck in standstill traffic. Residents say the absence of a traffic constable at peak hours makes the situation worse. Even when jams stretch for long distances, there is no on-ground monitoring or manual signal management, leaving motorists to struggle on their own. “At evening, due to honking and the traffic, sometimes I can’t clearly hear the voice of the customer and the customer can’t hear me as well,” said a hawker standing near the signal. Another major concern intensifying the congestion is indiscriminate roadside parking by commercial establishments in Jaiprakash Nagar. Once a sleepy residential area is now converting into busy commercial as numerous offices have opened and their vehicles remained parked by roadside leading to congestion.

 

Some portion of the road remains occupied for a long period by parked four-wheelers, shrinking the already narrow stretch. With the carriageway reduced to a single-lane movement at several points, vehicles crawl at a painfully slow pace. School buses, auto-rickshaws and delivery vehicles further add to the obstacle course. Every Saturday, vegetable market on the stretch of parallel Ring Road is a major cause of traffic snarls on the weekend. Adding to problem is the garbage vehicles parking on the stretch overnight leaving less space for the commuters to pass and slow movement of the vehicles creating delay.

 

Local residents argue that they are left with no alternative parking space, but commuters say that parking on a public road especially on such a busy connecting route is leading to daily inconvenience for thousands. Emergency vehicles too reportedly struggle to pass through during peak congestion hours. Citizens are urging traffic police and NMC to take immediate corrective steps such as repairing the dysfunctional signal, ensure regular deployment of traffic personnel and introduce strict no-parking enforcement along the stretch. With the road serving as a key connector between Jaiprakash Nagar, Khamla and Sahakar Nagar, timely intervention is the only way to restore smooth and safe traffic flow.