PUNE: The civic body has started installing pedestrian signals at all major intersections in the city.
Functional, fully enforced pedestrian signals are among the top priority for Pune Municipal Corporation officials and the traffic police under the Pune Road Safety Campaign, launched by mayor Mukta Tilak earlier this year.
“Non-functional signals at four or five junctions have been repaired. We have a list of 50 junctions where pedestrian signals are need. We will install them in phases and make two or three signals functional per week,” Shrinivas Kandul, head of PMC’s electrical department, said.
“There are about 265 signalled intersections in the city, of which we identified 50 on the basis of traffic and pedestrian volume,” deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Pankaj Deshmukh said. “Apart from that, we have sought proper painting of the zebra crossings and stop lines with a view of the enforcement of the pedestrian signals,” he added.
The civic body aims to have functional signals at most important junctions in six months. “Covering all major intersections is our priority. We will then move to smaller junctions,” Kandul said.
On the flip side, citizens said motorists do not heed pedestrian signals. “Some junctions have an all-red provision for pedestrians to cross, but if motorists see no other vehicle coming from the other side, they shamelessly jump the signal. At intersections, like Natraj Junction in Deccan, where the pedestrian signal is functional, motorists stop on the zebra crossing,” Sonali Jadhav, a citizen, said.
Jadhav said PMC and traffic police could take a leaf out of other countries’ books. “Crossing the road at an intersection in other countries is more organized. Pedestrians press the button and wait for the signal to turn green. All vehicles halt before the stop line. Violators face a serious penalty. We need to have such level of infrastructure and enforcement here as well,” she said.
“The pedestrian signals will be enforced by ground personnel as well as the CCTV camera network. Violators will be challaned for signal jumping. We have seen an improvement in vehicles stopping before the zebra crossing over the past few months due to strict enforcement,” DCP Deshmukh said.
Harshad Abhyankar of Save Pune Traffic Movement said an entire generation of Puneites has grown up without seeing a functional pedestrian signal. “Once we see a substantial number of working pedestrian signals, we will begin creating awareness about use of these signals among motorists and pedestrians,” he explained.
Functional, fully enforced pedestrian signals are among the top priority for Pune Municipal Corporation officials and the traffic police under the Pune Road Safety Campaign, launched by mayor Mukta Tilak earlier this year.
“Non-functional signals at four or five junctions have been repaired. We have a list of 50 junctions where pedestrian signals are need. We will install them in phases and make two or three signals functional per week,” Shrinivas Kandul, head of PMC’s electrical department, said.
“There are about 265 signalled intersections in the city, of which we identified 50 on the basis of traffic and pedestrian volume,” deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Pankaj Deshmukh said. “Apart from that, we have sought proper painting of the zebra crossings and stop lines with a view of the enforcement of the pedestrian signals,” he added.
The civic body aims to have functional signals at most important junctions in six months. “Covering all major intersections is our priority. We will then move to smaller junctions,” Kandul said.
On the flip side, citizens said motorists do not heed pedestrian signals. “Some junctions have an all-red provision for pedestrians to cross, but if motorists see no other vehicle coming from the other side, they shamelessly jump the signal. At intersections, like Natraj Junction in Deccan, where the pedestrian signal is functional, motorists stop on the zebra crossing,” Sonali Jadhav, a citizen, said.
Jadhav said PMC and traffic police could take a leaf out of other countries’ books. “Crossing the road at an intersection in other countries is more organized. Pedestrians press the button and wait for the signal to turn green. All vehicles halt before the stop line. Violators face a serious penalty. We need to have such level of infrastructure and enforcement here as well,” she said.
“The pedestrian signals will be enforced by ground personnel as well as the CCTV camera network. Violators will be challaned for signal jumping. We have seen an improvement in vehicles stopping before the zebra crossing over the past few months due to strict enforcement,” DCP Deshmukh said.
Harshad Abhyankar of Save Pune Traffic Movement said an entire generation of Puneites has grown up without seeing a functional pedestrian signal. “Once we see a substantial number of working pedestrian signals, we will begin creating awareness about use of these signals among motorists and pedestrians,” he explained.
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