Dislodged traffic post on a road in Balasore. Picture by Sibdas Kundu

Balasore, May 30: Traffic management in the fast-expanding Balasore town is in a shambles.

On the one hand, encroachments have almost squeezed the busy squares. On the other, traffic signal system has gone defunct here.

“Busy roads have been narrowed because of encroachment by the roadside shop owners and vendors,” said Ubachak Mohanty, a resident.

A couple of weeks ago, a prominent traffic post at the Fakir Mohan Circle was knocked down by a speeding vehicle. The damaged traffic post has not been set in order as yet, he alleged, while adding that defunct signal system has added to the traffic chaos in the town.

Although an effort was made two years ago to streamline the traffic network by installation of automated traffic signal system with the financial support of three private industrial houses, the electronic gadgets have gone defunct, Mohanty said.

The electronic traffic signal systems at Fakir Mohan Square, Station Square and Police Line Square had been inaugurated on July 5, 2009.

But after some time, these systems had gone out of order. They have not been restored yet, alleged residents of the town. Also, the assurances made by the civic authorities for installation of traffic signal system at the other intersections are yet to be fulfilled, they rued.

District collector A.B. Ota said he had called a meeting to discuss these issues with various industrial houses. He said efforts were on to set things in order. “I had held discussions with representatives of industrial houses. The defunct traffic signal systems are expected to be restored soon,” said the collector. Absence of road dividers, lane demarcations and zebra crossings have also made traffic management more difficult in this town.

“Nothing is working here so far as traffic is concerned. We have to discharge our duty amidst all odds,” said a traffic constable. Manpower crunch has been the biggest problem in the effective traffic management in Balasore. Home guards have to be deployed to man the traffic posts because of lack of adequate manpower.