Police allow pedestrains to man signal to cross road

Coimbatore: Three weeks have lapsed since the city traffic police installed a traffic signal with LED lighting near Gandhipuram bus stand for the pedestrians to operate to easily cross the busy Dr Nanjappa Road, but not many pedestrians and motorists are still aware about the facility. A traffic police constable on duty in the area said the signal poles in white colour with a blue button were installed on either side of the road in June end. “When pedestrians want to cross the road, mainly to enter or exit Gandhipuram bus stand, they can activate the red signal by pressing the blue button. The pedestrian signal will then become green for 30 seconds to allow them to cross the road from one side to the other.” When TOI visited the spot on Tuesday, police were seen making announcements through the mike every now and then to create awareness among the pedestrians about the facility and make use of the same. Gowtham, a pedestrian, said, “I did not know until recently that a pedestrian signal was installed near Gandhipuram bus stand. I pressed the button and the signal turned red. While some motorists noticed the signal and stopped their vehicles to make way for the pedestrians, others did not notice the change in traffic signal and jumped it. More awareness should be created about the facility among the public.” A motorist said the pedestrian signal post lacked visibility. “We keep our eyes on the main signal at the Cross Road Junction, which is just about 200 metres ahead of the pedestrian signal, because it is more visible.” The traffic police said the public should keep an eye open while they are on the roads. “Facilities like this will help pedestrians easily cross the roads, especially during heavy traffic or emergency circumstances. We are planning to introduce more pedestrian signals at important junctions in the city.”