Hyderabad: GHMC to install smart signals to avert accidents

Hyderabad: Continuing with the measures of pedestrian-friendly city road stretches and to prevent pedestrians from facing accidents, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is going to install another 26 pelican traffic signals at major intersections near schools, colleges and hospitals. The corporation aims to install about 94 pelican signals in the city and so far, 68 signals have been installed.

The corporation is paying special attention to the implementation of various programmes for the safety of pedestrians. The body observed that pedestrians were facing difficulties while crossing roads and also met with severe accidents, while few losing their lives. Hence to curb the danger on road, GHMC has decided to set up pelican traffic signals.

"To prevent the reoccurrence of such pedestrian accidents the GHMC is going to take up the new traffic signal system in the GHMC limits and regulate the increasing vehicular traffic in the city. The GHMC has also prioritised the installation of pedestrian signals for the safety of pedestrians and has so far installed 334 new technology traffic signals for the safe travel of motorists. Pelican signals are manually-controlled signals which on pressing the button gives the pedestrian a window of 15 seconds to cross the road safely", said a GHMC official.

"Through the pelican traffic system, the traffic signal will turn red and make it easy for pedestrians to cross the road. This new technology will be made available near colleges, schools, hospitals, business and commercial complexes and other major intersections in order to ensure pedestrians safety. As the vehicles stop pedestrians need to cross the road safely with the help of a push-button," added the official.

The GHMC aims to install about 94 pelican signals in the city and so far, 68 signals have been installed. The rest will be completed as per the target as soon as the proposals are received by the police department.

Keeping in view of heavy vehicular traffic in the city and to regulate the traffic, so far, the GHMC provided 334 traffic signals as per the recommendations made by the traffic police.