The next time you are busy counting those frustrating seconds waiting at a traffic junction during rush-hour traffic, look out for an LCD display which might give you information on which routes to avoid to reach your destination on time.
The ‘Variable Message Sign' displays have been installed by the Chennai City Traffic Police at 10 junctions through which a high-density vehicles transit every day. It provides information on citywide traffic congestion locations as well as awareness messages which try to grab attention while people are on the road. The junctions that are part of the pilot initiative are Parrys Corner, Central Station, Spencer Plaza, Ega Theatre, Thirumangalam, Madhya Kailash, Sholinganallur, Nandanam, Tidel Park and Gandhi Statue on Kamarajar Salai. “A variety of scrolling messages such as an MTC bus breakdown that may cause a particular road to be blocked for traffic will be put up on the display,” said M. Ravi, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
He added that awareness messages about drunk driving and helmet use would be displayed during non-rush hours. To stress the importance of road safety, statistics of accidents in previous years would be displayed, said a senior traffic official.
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“One of the reasons for choosing these 10 junctions was that they are on roads that are accident-prone. Those waiting at signals won't be occupied with anything and this would be an easy way to catch their attention,” he added.