GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): A number of residents in southern Ghazni province say inactive traffic lights at major intersections in Ghazni city have caused congestion, disorder and traffic-related problems, while traffic officials say efforts are underway to reactivate the signals.
Ghazni city, a key transit hub located along the Kabul–Kandahar highway, witnesses the movement of thousands of vehicles and passengers daily.
However, residents say the non-functioning traffic lights have worsened disorder on major roads and busy intersections across the city.
Haji Juma, a resident of Ghazni city, told PajhwokAfghan News that traffic flow was more organized when the signals were operational and people could reach their destinations more easily.
“Now that the traffic lights are inactive, everyone tries to cross first,” he said. “This has increased disorder, and sometimes people remain stuck in traffic for hours.”
He called on the authorities to restore the traffic lights.
Another resident, Gulab Khan, said Ghazni’s roads are no longer capable of handling the growing volume of traffic.
According to him, the city receives travelers from other provinces and also serves as a route for traffic along the Kabul–Kandahar highway, but the absence of traffic lights has aggravated congestion.
“When roads are blocked, people cannot reach work on time, business activities are delayed, and even patients are not transferred to hospitals in time,” he said. “This is a serious problem.”
Another resident, Wazir Mohammad, said restoring the traffic lights would not only improve traffic management but also help prevent disputes among drivers.
“When the lights are working, drivers are forced to follow traffic rules,” he said. “But now arguments and even physical altercations often occur over the right of way.”
Najibullah, a traffic police officer, also said the inactive traffic lights have negatively affected traffic management in the city.
“At many intersections where the lights are inactive, traffic police are forced to stand on the roads continuously to regulate traffic, but even then complete order cannot be maintained,” he said.
Residents urged the relevant authorities to reactivate the traffic lights to address the growing traffic problems.
Meanwhile, Ghazni traffic officials acknowledged that disorder in the city has increased due to the inactive signals.
Qari Noor Mohammad Rahbar, head of Ghazni traffic management, told Pajhwok that plans are underway to restore the traffic lights.
“We are working to improve the city’s traffic situation and intend to reactivate the traffic lights to provide convenience for citizens,” he said.
Residents are demanding the restoration of traffic lights at a time when the number of vehicles in the city has increased in recent years and many roads are struggling to cope with heavy traffic pressure.
They believe functioning traffic lights at major intersections would help improve order and reduce daily difficulties for the public.
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