Busy junctions on Chennai roads to get improved pedestrian signals for better safety

Pelican crossings with walk signals activated by pedestrians improve safety at city junctions, enhancing pedestrian movement.

Roads in the city will get pelican crossings for safe pedestrian movement across junctions, with walk signals activating when pedestrians press a button.

Work has started at the junction of Raja Annamalai Road and Poonamallee High Road. Dr. Nair Road-Poonamallee High Road, Ritherdon Road-Poonamallee High Road, and Anna Arch junctions will also get these pedestrian-friendly signals.

Once the new system is in place, safety of pedestrians and other road users is expected to improve. Any pedestrian will be able to stop the traffic and cross the road junction by pressing the button. However, the system will show the green signal for pedestrians only after calculating various aspects of the traffic flow.

Pedestrians may get a time ranging from 15 to 30 seconds to cross the roads safely. The system may utilise real-time traffic data before activating the intelligent signals to permit pedestrians to cross the junctions.

Senior citizens and persons with disabilities have been complaining about not being able to cross busy roads because of the increase in the speed of vehicles, one-way traffic, and priority given to vehicular movement.

The Greater Chennai Corporation and various civic agencies will advertise the new system to sensitise pedestrians about how to improve safety along roads and at junctions. Many busy junctions along national highways, State highways, and GCC bus route roads will get the new system. However, the pelican signals will be designed to be switched off during VIP movement on the city roads.