Jorhat, Feb. 12: The district administration and Jorhat Municipal Board have joined hands with a private firm to set up 11 automated traffic signal points as part of their plan to manage traffic on Jorhat roads.

The first automated signal lights have come up at Baruah Chari Ali here a few days back with the police department deploying extra traffic personnel to put the new system in place.

Jorhat deputy commissioner Ramesh Chand Jain told The Telelgraph here today that three months back, the district administration along with the municipal board had signed an MoU with Outreach, a private advertising firm, to set up 11 traffic signal points in the town. According to the agreement, the firm will set up automated traffic signal lights system with battery back-up for several hours.

Jain said because of the rise in number of vehicles in recent years, congestion on the roads had become a matter of concern.

The deputy commissioner said the automated traffic signal points would replace the old ones in busy areas of the town and was expected to help streamline traffic.

Jain said the private firm would be also responsible for the electricity charges incurred at the traffic points and would bear other maintenance costs. In return, the firm will be allowed to put up advertisements of any product by way of hoardings or gantry at the points, he added.

The deputy commissioner said the firm would not have to pay any revenue to the municipal board. He said advertisements on tobacco and alcohol and any other product prohibited by the government, however, would not be allowed to put up hoardings or banners.

The municipal board chairman, Prasanta Bora, said the civic body used to get revenue from hoardings and banners put up within the municipal areas, but in this case, Outreach will collect the revenue, as the firm would pay the electricity bills and bear the maintenance costs as well.

According to the agreement, the firm will be in charge of the traffic points for a period of 15 years after which the agreement will be reviewed.

Prabin Saikia, a representative of the advertising firm, said the firm would have to spend nearly Rs 1.1 crore to set up the 11 automated traffic signal lights excluding the cost of monthly electricity bills and maintenance costs.

Saikia said in the next two months, another four such automated signal lights would replace the old system. He said new traffic points would be coming up at places, which would be decided by the police department after conducting a survey.