The Traffic Wing of the Coimbatore City Police has completed deployment of 82 solar-powered barricades with shelters, which were recently procured. These shelters will have photovoltaic panels which will power flashlights on the barricade.
A traffic police official said that they were purchased using Road Safety Funds and were installed at major intersections and check-posts which witness a huge volume of traffic. Each unit costs around Rs. 18,000.
Several units have also been deployed at places that witness a lot of accidents. The barricades come with a fibre roof on both sides and a seat. The flashlights will serve as a warning beacon light for vehicles. The barricades are placed in a zigzag manner across the road at accident prone spots, cautioning the motorists to slow down while approaching a road intersection.
A senior police officer said that the barricades were kept only at those locations where they could be protected. Since they were expensive, the police were keen on ensuring their protection.
This was the first time such barricades were being used in Coimbatore. The feedback was fairly positive from both the police personnel and motorists, the officer added.
