Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, May 1: The councillors of the local municipal council came together to strongly condemn the action taken by the district superintendent of police (SP) to set up signal light poles at 20 places in the city, without consulting or obtaining the approval of the council. They said this is done at a time when the request sent by the municipality to the district deputy commissioner to review the signal light proposals is pending.  Various allegations were levelled on the floor of the general session of the municipal council held here on Friday April 30 on this issue.

During the question hour, councillor, Kiran Kumar, raised the topic. He drew the attention of the president to the fact that discussions had been held in the previous session, about the traumatic experiences inflicted on the citizens by the signal lights set up at the main road of the city in the past. He objected to the action in erecting signal lights without going through the objections raised, or solving problems encountered earlier. He alleged that there was no need to establish five signal lights between Kinnimulky and bus stand, as the traffic on this road does not demand so many signals, adding that the vehicles will be compelled to unnecessarily stop for several minutes while passing through this road.  He felt that a decision to install so many signals was taken under pressure from some advertisement company.  “I learn that every signal light pole costs eight lac rupees. Are the poles made of silver?” he wanted to know.

Kumar also said that the district administration has insulted the municipality by ensuring that the revenue from the advertisements at these points does not accrue to the local body. 

Responding to the issue, municipal president, Dinkar Shetty, said that the issue of the practicability of setting up signal lights had been referred to the deputy commissioner for review and that the municipality did not receive any reply from her.  He said that the administration will now write to the district administration, saying that it will not be responsible for untoward occurrences that might happen because of the installation of traffic signals by the SP. “We will not allow installation of poles at the cost of advertisement revenue to the municipality,” he declared.