New pelican signals fail to help pedestrians cross the road 

The Hyderabad city police activated 30 new pelican signals which has failed to mark the initial positive impact a month after its launch.

Eye-to-eye communication and eye-hand coordination between a pedestrian and a motorist remains the unbeatable sign for crossing the road in Hyderabad. So are the risks and accidents when such ‘successful coordination’ fails even by a small margin.

The pelican signals or pedestrian light-controlled crossing, for instance, the latest experiment in Hyderabad under the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Safe City Project, for the safety of pedestrians and road-crossers has failed to mark the initial positive impact a month after its launch.

Launched on May 17, the Hyderabad city police activated 30 new pelican signals. The police believed that they would end the woes of pedestrians. It was also the first time, police said, that traffic wardens, who are appointed on a monthly-salary basis, will man these signals and help pedestrians cross the road — contrary to the concept of use of pelican signals by pedestrian themselves.

On the upper Tank Bund, at the same launch venue, the pelican signal opposite the Tripuraneni Ramaswamy Chowdary statue on Wednesday remained inoperative. It had been “out of order for reasons of power fluctuation” for the past three days.

“But even when it was functional”, a few officials manning or observing the stretch said, “results are not as expected”, as motorists wouldn’t slow down despite the rumble strips near both the approach points, or the warden whistling and waving, or the red light.

“People cross the usual traffic signals left right and centre. Public awareness about pelican signals is much needed, and we are in Hyderabad,” they say.

Even for Twitter users, who tag police authorities for intervention, “vehicles don’t stop even when the pelican signal turns red,” is a common complaint.