The twin cities can, at last, expect ‘Pelican signals’ to dot some of the busiest roads with the Unified Metropolitan Development Authority (UMTA) deciding to install 105 of them at its meeting presided over by Chief Secretary (CS) S.K. Joshi on Monday.
Pelican signals, otherwise also known as ‘Pedestrian Light Control Activation’ traffic signals, allow pedestrians to press a button, activate a red signal, and cross the road easily. They were installed at a couple of places in the capital earlier, but got into disuse for various reasons.
The 12th UMTA meeting which has happened after a considerable period of time also stressed on the need for construction of footpaths as an immediate priority with the CS advising the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) to build pedestrian friendly ‘Grade -1’ roads for the benefit of people using footpaths.
Comprehensive long-term and short-term plans should be formulated to ensure that the common man is not affected due to the increasing number of vehicles moving about in the city, said Mr. Joshi at the meeting.
The meeting was also attended by the Municipal Administration Secretary Arvind Kumar, Transport Secretary Sunil Sharma, Hyderabad Metro Rail MD N.V.S. Reddy, Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagawat, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Kumar, HMDA Commissioner Chiranjeevulu, GHMC Additional Commissioner Bharati Hollikeri and others.
The officials also discussed methods to prevent accidents on the Outer Ring Road like appropriate speed controls and mapping of risk-prone areas where there have been frequent accidents. The entire ORR would be lit up with LED lights by the year end. Mr. Joshi also suggested inviting the members of trucks and private buses management associations to the meeting and including them as members of UMTA.
Common ticket for the Metro, MMTS and RTC travel, an intercity bus terminal, MMTS phase two project construction works, intelligent transport master plan, identification of parking slots for vehicle parking, multi-level parking under the public, private partnership and logistic parks were also discussed in the meet.
