HYDERABAD : With pelican signals in the city failing to garner attention even after a year, the traffic police is mulling shifting gears from sensitisation to enforcement. Officials told TNIE that the department lacks the manpower to deploy traffic wardens at pelican signals on a regular basis.
Introduced in May last year, 31 pelican signals are operational in the city. As per a senior official, the Hyderabad Smart City project was in charge of appointing traffic wardens. However, the one-year agreement has ended, the official added.
Speaking to TNIE, the official said, “Even after one year of awareness and sensitisation, motorists are not stopping for pelican signals. It reflects their traffic sense. We are considering penalising drivers who don’t stop for the signal.”
The official said that he would approach the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) with the suggestion of installing signs informing drivers about upcoming pelican signals. However, for extremely busy roads like the stretch near the Khairatabad Metro station, personnel can be deployed during rush hours for the safety of pedestrians, he added.
Harish Daga, a civic activist, expressed apprehensions about the proposed measures. Highlighting that awareness about the pelican traffic system is uneven across the city, he said that a digital display educating people on how to operate the system can be installed near the signals.
Pointing out that there have been multiple attempts in the past to revive the system in the city, Daga said, “This is a need in a city like Hyderabad but they don’t have a concrete plan to execute it.”