At a time when fuel prices are soaring, experts from the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) said simply switching off engines at red lights can lead to annual savings of ₹ 250 crore in Delhi.
Speaking at a press conference here on Thursday, PCRA executive director Alok Tripathi said: “Apart from reducing fuel consumption and environmental pollution, turning off the ignition at red lights can lead to savings of ₹250 crore annually in Delhi region itself.”
Along with the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and the Delhi Traffic Police, a campaign to spread awareness about switching off engines whenever the red light duration is over 20 seconds was launched at 100 of the busiest intersections in the city. The campaign follows a seven-day awareness drive held in 2016-2017.
CRRI director Professor Satish Chandra said the educational drive will also include a comprehensive study of signal visibility and signal timings. Accordingly, recommendations for repositioning of red lights and reconfiguration of signal timings will be given.
“Presently, we have several traffic signals that cross the 180-second-mark. This study will aid India to adapt to international standards by rationalising red lights to a maximum of 120 seconds for smooth movement of traffic,” Prof. Chandra said.
Meanwhile, whether drivers pick up the habit of switching off their vehicle’s engines during red lights remains to be seen.
“I don’t have a problem switching off the car’s engine but passengers usually have a problem with that,” said Rohit Singh, a driver with an app-based cab aggregator.