Hyderabad: Home Minister Naini Narasimha Reddy on Thursday denied reports that the traffic problems were worsening day-by-day in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Replying to a query raised by MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi and others during the Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, the Home Minister said steps were being taken to improve the traffic conditions in the city.

He said DCP Traffic has visited metro cities like Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata to study their systems. Explaining the observations and suggestions, he said Delhi police have one team which studies the traffic problems and works in coordination with civic authorities and thereafter, civic authorities take up road improvements. Similar teams have been formed in Hyderabad City Police and they were working with GHMC for improvement of roads, and working for pedestrian safety, he said.

In Kolkata, they have public announcement system at all junctions of city and the traffic police there also engage services of traffic volunteers for assisting the traffic police in regulating the traffic. In Hyderabad city also public announcement system is being tried on pilot basis at few junctions. As many as 1,600 home guards are being engaged for traffic regulation in Hyderabad, he said.  Naini said Hyderabad City Police have started e-challan in the year 2007 and it was working satisfactorily.