Portable lights to sort traffic mess

The Delhi traffic police have found a unique way of preventing traffic jams at signal free junctions in the city. Subhendu Ray reports.

The Delhi traffic police have found a unique way of preventing traffic jams at signal free junctions in the city.

HT Image

The police will use a mobile traffic signal system to manage traffic at places where a permanent traffic signal is not required on a day-to-day basis.

The mobile system is loaded on a trolley and can easily be taken anywhere.

“We are currently using the system to identify locations at the C Hexagon where we may need to place permanent traffic lights,” said BS Bassi, special commissioner of police (traffic). “The mobile unit helps test the impact of a signal at places without traffic signals,” he added.

The Delhi Police have plans to install permanent traffic lights with pedestrian crossovers at five locations around the C Hexagon (the roundabout near India Gate) to decongest the area during morning and evening peak hours and also give safe passageway to pedestrians.

“We have already installed lights at crossings on Tilak Marg, Shahjahan Road and Rajpath. Now with the use of the mobile traffic signal we are surveying the feasibility of installing permanent lights at Zakir Hussain crossing and KG Marg crossing,” said Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic). “On an experimental basis, we are giving 15 seconds pedestrian crossover, every three minutes during morning and evening peak hours by using the mobile traffic light,” he added.

“This mobile traffic signal, which can run continuously for 20 hours, can be seen from three different directions at an intersection,” Garg said.

Once locations are identified, the mobile traffic signal will be used for temporary traffic management at intersections on which the traffic volume goes up during peak hours. “The Delhi police currently have four mobile signals of which one is operational. They plan to procure four more mobile units in a couple of months,” said Garg.