Locals said that they have to cross the Bir Uttam Ziaur Rahman Road risking their lives as the signal, installed about eight months ago, was no longer in operation.

"This is a very busy and important intersection. Lots of people cross this point everyday. It has really become very difficult to get to the other side of the road as the flow of traffic is very high," said Kausar Ahmed, a Nakhalpara resident.

"This is the road to go to Mohakhali, Farmgate and Mirpur. During the morning and evening rush hours we become stranded on the wayside for twenty minutes at a stretch even before getting a chance to cross," he added.

Electronic traffic signals are in operation in 68 out of 69 intersections in the city and it has improved the overall traffic situation. This long-awaited signalling system was introduced under the World Bank funded Dhaka Urban Transport Project (DUTP).

At first 10 signals were introduced from Shyamoli to Panthapath on an experimental basis in 2002. Another 59 were installed between March 2004 and March 2005. Total cost of the project is believed to be around 14 crore Taka.

Sources in the traffic department said the signal at Elenbari, which was active for barely a week after its opening in September, could not be turned on because of a 'verbal order' from the Prime Minister's Office.

"Because of security reasons we have decided to close this signal and opted for manual traffic control," said a top traffic official.

Special Security Forces (SSF), Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and other security agencies reportedly objected to the installation of electronic traffic signal at this point. Later, the PMO gave an 'order' to close down the signal, according to the source at the traffic department.

But PMO sources claimed that the main reason was the signal's close proximity to the Rangs crossing.

"Because of these two signals, traffic jams stretched as far as the main gate of the Prime Minister's Office. If the signal at Elenbari turns green vehicles can not move ahead as the road is already full because of the traffic signal at Rangs crossing," the source said.

He claimed that there was an error in designing when the plan was made. These two intersections as well as the ones in Bijoynagar and Kakrail and Curzon Hall and Kadam Chattar are too close to each other.

Traffic police have been deployed to control traffic at Elenbari but pedestrians alleged that the on duty traffic policemen never stop vehicles to give them a chance to cross the road.

"We cross on our own As there is no zebra crossing and as nobody stops the vehicles, we become confused at times," said Humayara Khatun who goes to Chandrima Udyan on foot every morning.