Now Reading: Pune traffic signals disrupted after streetlight power cut
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Pune traffic signals disrupted after streetlight power cut
Around 50 traffic signals in Pune stopped working on Friday (9 October) after a private agency disconnected power supply to streetlights to test smart meters, according to civic officials. The disruption hit key junctions including Tilak Road at Alka Talkies Chowk, causing major traffic jams.
Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials said the power supply for traffic signals and streetlights is combined in many locations. Superintending engineer Pramod Unde dismissed social media claims that the outage was due to unpaid electricity bills, stating that bills are prepaid and adequate funds were provided in advance.
A PMC delegation visited the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) office to report the incident and request restoration. The city has around 400 traffic signals, of which 30% draw power directly from streetlights.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The outage exposes a design vulnerability in Pune's traffic infrastructure: a third of signals share a power line with streetlights, meaning a single test or fault can paralyse key junctions. PMC officials have no immediate plan to separate the feeds, leaving signals exposed to similar disruptions. The next step is for MSEDCL and PMC to clarify whether the private agency's testing protocol will be revised.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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