Guwahati: Signal failures trigger traffic chaos across city

Rs 78-crore ITMS under fire

Staff reporter

Guwahati: Rising traffic congestion at major intersections across Guwahati has turned into a daily ordeal for commuters, with fingers being pointed at the city’s ailing Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS). Designed to modernize and automate traffic regulation, the ITMS signals have reportedly gone defunct in multiple key locations, forcing traffic police to return to manual control.

Among the worst-hit areas are Noonmati, Six Mile, and GS Road, where signal failures have led to erratic traffic flow, frequent rule violations, and heightened commuter frustration. The Six Mile junction—once a showcase intersection under ITMS—experiences daily traffic snarls.

“These systems haven’t worked properly for months. On weekends, there’s often no traffic police either. The government has spent crores, but there’s little to show for it,” said a resident of Downtown. Another commuter highlighted issues during VIP movements. “When ministers visit, the signals are overridden manually, making things even worse.”

Launched under Guwahati Smart City Limited (GSCL), the Rs 78.44 crore ITMS project aimed to streamline traffic with 66 automated signals installed across the city.

A GSCL official, speaking to this reporter, attributed the failures to poor inter-departmental coordination. “Uncoordinated civil and utility works have damaged underground cables powering the signals. In some places, signals were even dismantled to make way for construction. We’ve identified the core issues and are working to resolve them,” the official said.

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