New Delhi: At a crowded intersection, the red light blinked weakly before going dark. Within seconds, there was a gridlock as confused car drivers surged forward, then halted, bikers squeezed between buses, and autos darted into the wrong lane. A traffic constable stood in the middle of the chaos, trying to fill in for an automated signal.Scenes like this play out daily across the city every time one of its 1,000-odd signals malfunctions, throwing traffic into chaos and raising the risk of accidents.To find a solution, Delhi Traffic Police (DTP) is considering letting citizens become the first line of reporting. An additional feature in its Traffic Prahari app would allow commuters to instantly flag faulty signals. “The discussions have started. Once the technical details are worked out, we will move ahead. If successful, this will not only speed up repairs (of signals), but also open the door to better planning in the long run,” Special CP (Traffic) Ajay Chaudhary said. Launched in 2015 and revamped in 2024, Traffic Prahari has turned thousands of Delhiites into digital traffic marshals. With nearly one lakh users and about six lakh violations reported so far, the app has created what officials call a “parallel enforcement network”, with citizens flagging helmetless bikers, triple riders and cars parked on footpaths.But traffic signals, until now, have slipped through the cracks. Complaints about faulty signals usually come piecemeal via calls to the helpline, officers on patrol, or messages on social media, where frustrated commuters often tag DTP.Recently, a citizen posted on X: “The traffic light at Dwarka Sector 16B crossroad, near Delhi Police quarters, is not working. With one road already blocked for construction, this has become very dangerous. Urgent attention requested.”Another flagged a long-running issue: “The signal near Inderlok metro station naala bridge crossing has not worked for 2-3 years, causing daily accidents.”Currently, once such complaints reach Traffic Police, officers coordinate with the maintenance agency to repair the signal. But the system remains fragmented.“There are multiple ways to receive complaints, but no single, synchronised channel. That’s where Traffic Prahari could step in. If the new feature is integrated, commuters can report malfunctioning signals with just a few taps, feeding directly into a centralised system. Over time, this could create a live database, helping us map and prioritise repairs more efficiently,” Chaudhary said.
