Existing signals lie defunct; high maintenance cost makes them unpopularInitiatives to save energy are getting louder across the globe, but plans by the state police to install traffic signals run on solar power seem to be facing rough weather.In cities like Vadodara and Surat, the solar-powered traffic signals are either not functioning, and in places where they are, they are running on conventional electricity supply. Top police officials have said that the reason behind the situation is the high maintenance cost, which the police department and the municipal corporations are not ready to shoulder.In Vadodara, the solar-powered traffic signals have been converted to run on electricity, while in Surat, they have been lying defunct ever since the city was submerged in the 2006 floods. In Ahmedabad, the traffic police never wanted to install the traffic signals considering the complexities involved. They have, however, installed blinkers at some places which are functioning without any problems. Surat Additional Commissioner of Police Vikas Sahay said: “We tried to repair the traffic signals, but after talking to experts, we realised that the maintenance cost would be high. We have not yet taken any decision to convert the signals to run on electricity.”In Vadodara, the situation is all the more tricky. “I was always against the installation of solar-powered traffic signals, knowing the problems involved in their maintenance. But then, it was an initiative of the state Home Department; so we just suggested them the places where they could be installed. It ran perfectly for about a year, and after that the maintenance issues cropped up. The contractor who had installed it said that the maintenance contract was signed only for one year. In fact, the batteries which need to be replaced are expensive, and we realised that it is better to convert them into signals that run on electricity,” said Subodh Shah, Executive Engineer, VMC.Rajkot Police Commissioner Sudhir Sinha too acknowledged the problems involved in the installation of solar-powered signals. “We never gave solar-powered signals a serious thought because of the maintenance issues involved. We feel that certain issues should be handled by the municipal corporations only, because as per the understanding, the maintenance part comes on us after they install it,” he said.The Ahmedabad Traffic Police have followed the energy conservation concept only till the installation of blinkers, instead of going in for the entire system of traffic signals. “We have not installed any traffic signals that run on solar power. The concept is limited to blinkers only and they are doing well. I have heard that under the new plans, AUDA is thinking of installing solar- powered signals, but it has not come to us officially,” said Atul Karwal, JCP, Ahmedabad.
