Around 60 young boys and girls, all medical students from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, were seen performing on different dance numbers, in the open space right in front of the commercial complex.
As it turned out, the students were performing a flash mob on road safety theme with support from the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and the Bhubaneswar Urban Knowledge Centre of BDA. The activity was aimed at creating awareness and sensitising citizens, especially youngsters, on various road safety issues, coinciding with the ongoing Road Safety Week celebration from January 11 to 17.
The students performed on popular Bollywood dance numbers etc while simultaneously enacting role play of common road safety and traffic violations. Announcements on road safety, especially safety of pedestrians, were made during the intervals while several students were holding placards with catchy slogans on the theme. The first act was to sensitise pedestrians, especially Jaywalkers who often cross the road recklessly while listening to music and without noticing the movement of traffic, thus facing accidents and endangering lives of others. The second act focused on rash driving by youngsters who often violate all traffic rules and move in groups at alarming speeds, endangering lives of pedestrians and other fellow motorists. The third act was on the importance of crossing the roads and junctions through zebra crossings only and avoid crossing from the middle of the roads.
The BMC has also launched a social media campaign on the theme of road safety educating and sensitizing citizens on safe driving, pedestrian safety and dangers of acts like wrong side driving, rash driving, jaywalking, etc.
It may be noted here that, the BMC in collaboration with the BDA and the Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited had carried out experimental road safety improvements at Rupali Square in the city, providing waiting space for pedestrians while crossing the junction, temporary traffic bulb outs, clearly demarcated pedestrian space and zebra crossings, etc.
The city is presently implementing adaptive traffic signal control system at 58 major junctions wherein specialised pedestrian signals are being incorporated for easy crossing of the junction through zebra crossing by pedestrians.
The pedestrians will be able to cross the junctions with convenience when these pedestrian signals turn green as vehicles from all approaches will stop for that period. Similarly, footpaths are proposed to be further widened and made pedestrian friendly on all major streets as part of the complete streets project being undertaken by the city agencies.