Non-functional traffic signals at several key intersections in Tiruchi have become a major concern for commuters, causing severe congestion and an increased risk of accidents during peak hours.

Road users say traffic movement has become chaotic at major junctions where signals remain faulty. The absence of proper signal coordination has resulted in vehicles entering intersections simultaneously from multiple directions, leading to long traffic snarls and frequent near-miss incidents.

Traffic signals at Mannarpuram roundabout, MGR roundabout near Ayyappan Temple, Major Saravanan roundabout, and on Bharathidasan Road near the District Court complex have reportedly remained non-functional for the past few days. These intersections witness heavy vehicular movement throughout the day as they are located near schools, hospitals, and commercial establishments, besides serving as important routes for city buses.

“Vehicular movement became very slow and vehicles were lined up for a long distance near the MGR roundabout. We had to wait nearly 20 minutes to cross the junction, with vehicles coming in from all directions,” said S. Rajesh, a road user.

Commuters say the malfunctioning signals have considerably worsened congestion during peak hours. Although traffic police personnel have been deployed to regulate vehicular movement manually, managing traffic flow has become difficult because of the high volume of vehicles using the roads.

They pointed out that signal jumping and wrong-side driving have become common at busy intersections in the absence of functioning traffic signals.

“The authorities should ensure regular maintenance and proper synchronisation of traffic signals at major junctions. Faulty lights must be repaired immediately and traffic personnel should be deployed round the clock at vulnerable intersections to prevent accidents,” said N. Saravanan, a road safety activist.

When contacted, a senior official said recent rainfall had damaged the wiring systems connected to the traffic signals, resulting in their malfunctioning. “Repair works would be taken up shortly and damaged components would be replaced within 10 days. Additional traffic personnel had been deployed at affected junctions to regulate traffic until the signals are restored,” he added.