Vanishing zebra crossings pose a problem to motorists, pedestrians

Hyderabad: The fading paint on zebra crossing is posing problem for motorists and pedestrians. Motorists are penalised for no fault of theirs when they stop on zebra crossing when traffic signals turn red.

Apart from it, at some places the zebra crossings are far away from traffic signals. The motorists without being aware of the presence zebra crossings are moving ahead and thus preventing pedestrians from crossing the road.

Arguments and fights flare up occasionally when some motorists pushing those ahead of them to move forward and thus touching the zebra crossings.

Though the paint on the zebra crossings fade and it is leading to the motorists stopping their vehicles on the crossings, they are being e-challaned for no fault of theirs.

According to traffic rules, a zebra crossing is an area of the road painted with broad white stripes, where vehicles must stop if pedestrians wish to cross.

The motorists must stop ahead of zebra crossing when the signal turns red. Pedestrians are to cross the road when the walking sign turns green.

But the rules are freely defied in twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad since the pedestrians cannot find stripes as the paint on them has faded. The problem has proved acute at the Secretariat where the movement VIPs is witnessed.

K Malleshwari, a resident of Boduppal, who is working as a teacher in a private school, has stressed the need to put a fresh coat of paint on zebra crossing to enable the pedestrians to cross the road without trouble.

She scrupulously follows traffic rules. But she is penalised time and again because the paint on the zebra crossing has disappeared. The motorists sometimes argue with her and insists that she moves ahead though she touches zebra crossing.

If the zebra crossing stripes are painted well, she can resist and refuse to move ahead, she said. It has been found the problem is severe at the Secretariat X road, VST X road, Tarnaka X road, Mehdipatnam, LB Nagar, Uppal and many places where the paint on zebra crossing stripes has either faded or in light colour.

M Ravi Kumar, a marketing employee, who comes from Dilsukhnagar, everyday travels 200 to 300 km in twin cities, said the barricades on main roads are creating more problems for motorists.

Barricades are placed far ahead of zebra crossings and thus causing traffic snarls at main junctions, he said.

Whether the officials will focus their attention on streamlining the traffic in the city is anybody's guess.