City Police Commissioner Amaresh Pujari switched on a new traffic signal at the PSGR Krishnammal College Junction here on Wednesday.
Mr.Pujari said that the new signal and the second to be solar-powered, in the city with a 600 w solar panel, has independent power back-up for 18 hours without sunlight.
The signal, costing Rs 4 lakh, has been funded by GRG Trust and put up by a team from Namakkal.
Novelty
The novelty in this signal was that it would function only during peak hours i.e., school and college hours to enable students cross the road. The GRG signal was another step towards the vision of the Coimbatore City Police in launching a ‘green' corridor on Avanashi Road from the old flyover to Coimbatore Airport Junction.
However, motorists find high number of signals on this stretch an obstruction to the free flow of traffic.
The signal is the 46th in the city and the 11th signal on a 9.2 km stretch of Avanashi Road (total length of Avanashi Road is 15 km).
A motorist proceeding from JM Bakery on Avanashi Road to the Airport will now have to stop at signals at LIC Road, Anna Statue, Lakshmi Mill Junction, Nava India, PSG Tech, Krishnammal College, Ranga Vilas Scheme Road, Hope Junction, Medical College, Tidel Park Junction and at Airport Road Junction. (See map)
There are proposals for new signals at Cheran Maa Nagar road inter-section between PSG Tech and Krishnammal College and another near Jennys Club where a road branches off to CODISSIA between Medical College and Airport Junction.
The distance between signals from JM Bakery Junction is as follows: JM Bakery to LIC 0.4 km, Anna Statue at 0.7 km, Lakshmi Mills Junction 2.3 km, Nava India at 3.4 km, PSG Tech at 4.5 km, PSGR Krishnammal College at 5.2 km, Ranga Vilas Scheme Road at 5.5 km, Hope Junction at 6.4 km, CMCH at 7.1 km and Airport at 9.1 km. Signals at JM Bakery, LIC Road and Anna Statue are located close to one another just as the signals between Ranga Vilas Scheme Road and Hope Junction.
When this was pointed out to Mr.Pujari, he said that the distance between signals should not be seen in isolation since the road had too many intersections.
In the absence of a signal, the traffic was choked with possibility of accidents as vehicles entered the arterial road from inter-sections.
Absence of a signal was no guarantee for uninterrupted flow of traffic. A synchronised signal network could ensure free flow of vehicles.
The ordeal of facing a red signal, especially while travelling on a straight alignment, would last only for a few weeks.
A team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic), T. Senthilkumar were already nearing the completion of synchronising the signals and the ‘Green Corridor' (wherein a motorist from the Airport to Avanashi Road Flyover or vice versa) would get green signals at all the 11 traffic signals.
The motorist would have to travel at a speed indicated by the speed indicator fixed on top of the traffic signals and should not stop en route.
The ‘Green Corridor' would become operational by the end of November.
