The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Motorists want timers at traffic signals to be re-introduced

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Motorists want timers at traffic signals to be re-introduced

L. Srikrishna

They not only help save fuel, but also reduce pollution "We are studying the pattern of traffic movement and accidents"

CHENNAI: With the Road Safety Week beginning on Monday, most road users have demanded that the police re-activate the digital countdown timers at traffic signals.

The recent move by the traffic police to switch-off the timers at important signal points has come in for criticism. Most of the motorists The Hindu spoke to wanted the facility to be reintroduced immediately.

With a little over two million vehicles criss-crossing the city in various directions every day, the police are finding ways to decongest traffic, including introduction of one way traffic systems in some busy thoroughfares and junctions. Ramkumar of Egmore, who drives a car, said the timers were essential as they not only saved fuel, but also reduced pollution at junctions.

One reason the police said they deactivated the timers was that some motorists tended to jump signals three or four seconds before they changed from red to green.

However, Guruprakash, who was driving down Nelson Manickam Road, said the police should not do away with the facility just because the timers helped some drivers jump signals.

Sam Jayapal, a businessman from Coimbatore who visits the city regularly, said, "For people like me, timers are helpful. I relax when the signal turns red, and as the timers show 10 or so, I get ready to move." Ravi Damodaran, a road safety enthusiast, said timers should be compulsorily installed.

"The road users have got accustomed to it, and we can also save fuel. We can dispense with the amber light, and have the red and green signals alone to save on power." Mythili Sriram, former president, Citizens for Safe Roads, said the presence of timers helped drivers to relax and move when their turn came.

A retired police officer said only here, police personnel were needed to man automatic signals as many motorists violated traffic rules. Defending the installation of timers, he said they could be synchronised depending on peak hour and non-peak hour traffic. Automobile consultant Ramkumar said a study in New Delhi a few years ago revealed that the fuel spent by vehicles waiting at signals and inter-sections worked out to a whopping Rs. 245 crore. Hence, the police should reintroduce the timers, he said.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Sunil Kumar said, "We have not dispensed with the facility, but are studying the pattern of traffic movement and accidents at various junctions in the absence of the timers."

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