GHAZNI CITY (SW) – Residents and drivers in Ghazni complain about the inactivity of traffic lights at intersections in the city and demand their reactivation.
They continue to criticize the incompetence of responsible authorities in regulating and reactivating these lights and tell Salam Watandar that the inactivity of these lights has led to urban congestion, traffic incidents, and drivers flouting traffic laws.
Traffic lights in Ghazni city have been inactive for two years due to technical problems. However, local officials in the province, in conversation with Salam Watandar, speak of a serious decision to reactivate them.
Ajmal, a driver in Ghazni, says, “About two years ago, the traffic lights were active; there was no need for traffic police officers. Every driver could follow the law based on the installed lights. In the morning, we see roads blocked , there is crowd, and sometimes traffic accidents occur.”
Azmatullah, a resident of Ghazni, also says, “The government must take this matter seriously because people go about their daily duties in the morning. They go to their businesses, and all the lights are off. They should activate them so that there are no incidents in Ghazni, and people can go about their duties comfortably and peacefully.”
Residents of Ghazni consider the provision of traffic services and urban order as government responsibilities and say that reactivating these lights will improve urban order and reduce or prevent urban congestion.
Khairuddin another resident of Ghazni says, “Our demand from the government is simply to activate the traffic lights sooner because due to the excessive congestion, problems have arisen for the people. They cannot walk on the sidewalks, and when four cars stop, many traffic crowds appear.”
Hashmatullah Jalali, a civil activist in the province, also demand the reactivation of traffic lights.
He says, “In the installed positions, it is good for city’s appearance, and second, it is necessary for drivers and for traffic, it is a great convenience. If the light is activated, convenience is created. The traffic police officers also do not suffer so much under the sun, smoke, dust, and rain.”
Officials from the Ghazni Traffic Public Management, in response to this issue and the demands of the province’s residents, say that the reactivation of traffic lights is the responsibility of the municipality.
Mohammad Nabi Hamza, the mayor of Ghazni, in an interview with Salam Watandar, assures about the decision of reactivating the traffic lights in the city of Ghazni and says that repairing these lights is on the agenda of the province’s Municipality Directorate for the current year.
He adds, “We have a code for traffic lights and have taken it in the budget code. Hopefully, when the estimate is cleared, God willing, we will announce it. It is because of the city and because the traffic incidents decrease and also indicates urban order. Of course, we have not received any written letter that is related to us, but we can ask for it, we can install these traffic lights.”
Ghazni is one of the relatively populous cities in the country with narrow roads, and its old and limited urban plan has led to more urban congestion compared to other cities in Afghanistan.
