'Technical and electrical issues'
Traffic light outage disrupts Halabja’s main entrance for nearly two weeks
HALABJA — The main street entrance to Halabja has been grappling with dysfunctional traffic lights for nearly two weeks, leading to huge disruptions for local drivers. According to the city’s transport department, the outage stems from ongoing technical and electrical issues.
Soran Hassan, a taxi driver who frequently navigates the affected intersection, expressed his concerns to 964media. “The traffic lights at the intersection have not been working for almost two weeks. They previously malfunctioned several times,” Hassan said. “This is a major intersection, affecting traffic from several neighborhoods.”
He further highlighted the broader impact on the city’s appearance, stating, “The city’s main entrance is also impacted, creating an unpleasant view when the primary traffic lights are not working. We urgently request they be fixed.”
The non-functioning traffic lights are positioned on a critical artery that not only connects several residential areas but also leads to a local government office, thus elevating the risk of vehicular accidents.
Salah Ali, a spokesperson for the Halabja Traffic Directorate, detailed the recurring issues at this location. “Our engineering team regularly maintains Halabja’s traffic signals and road signs. This specific intersection has been repaired several times but suffers from technical issues with its electricity supply, causing intermittent outages,” Ali told 964media.
He added that the installation of a battery backup system, designed to provide power for six hours, has not fully mitigated the problem due to its limited capacity. “When it runs out, the lights go out,” Ali explained. He assured that a maintenance team would soon address the situation with a more permanent solution.