The Hindu : Light emitting diodes to replace conventional traffic bulb signals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 17, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Light emitting diodes to replace conventional traffic bulb signals

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, FEB. 16. The conventional traffic bulb signals in various parts of the city are being replaced with light emitting diodes (LED). So far, new signals have been installed in 30 places.

According to the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), G.U.G. Sastry, the change was part of the modernisation programme for which the Government has sanctioned Rs. 1 crore. There are 133 conventional signals on city roads, of which 78 would be replaced with LEDs under the first phase, he said.

Compared to the existing signal system, the new ones are brighter and they consume less power. Importantly, the life of LED is longer (estimated to be 10 years).

The new signals are also fitted with timers. While the Government had sanctioned funds for about 45 timers, the rest will be installed with sponsorship from various corporate houses, he said.

In the conventional signals, once the bulbs get fused, it would become a major problem for the road users. Every day, the police had to spend time on changing bulbs at various signal points. Whereas in the LED, there are about 200 small bulbs and not all of them get fused at the same time. Moreover, even if a batch of them get fused, the signal will still be visible from a distance, he said.

New signals have been installed at Gengu Reddy Subway, Gandhi Statue point on Kamarajar Salai, Secretariat, 100 ft Road at Vadapalani, Periyar Statue, SAF Games Village, Koyambedu, EVR Salai - EVK Sampath Salai junction, EVR Salai - Gandhi Irwin Bridge junction, Stanley Roundabout, Basin Bridge junction, Vinayagapuram, K.K.Nagar Telephone Exchange and NSK Nagar.

The work of replacing the entire conventional bulb signals in the city would be completed by March 15, Mr Sastry said.

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