CHENNAI: Efforts of the traffic police to make roads differently-abled friendly by installing auditory signals has not made life easy as it reportedly lacks coordination with traffic signals. The Auditory traffic system was set up at 150 locations at a cost of Rs 75 lakh, to help visually impaired and pedestrians cross busy junctions easily. “There is a big mismatch between the traffic signal and the audio system. The moment it says we can cross, bikes whiz past us as the signal turns green. How can it help us?” complains Harryson E, who was trying to cross the road with a group near the Little Mount Metro Station.
S Martin, who is visually impaired says, “What is the point of the audio alert if it does not match with the traffic signals?”
The system consists of a speaker and a teller machine which is attached to the traffic signal. It announces, ‘Zebra crossing is open’ and starts a countdown from 10 to allow pedestrians cross. “Nowadays, the countdown starts at seven. By the time we reach the middle, the audio ends. We either need to run or wait for the next turn to cross the other half,” says Prakash S.
Apart from the mismatch, the audio systems are prone to frequent technical glitches, according to police personnel in the city.“Often they start malfunctioning and start announcing without an order. Sometimes we turn it off as it creates more confusion among the pedestrians and riders,” says a traffic police officer.
“A majority of the technical glitches occur because a few residents nearby, cut wires connecting to the traffic lights as it keeps announcing instructions and irregular power fluctuation can cause damage to the speaker circuits,” says Muthuraman, Maintenance incharge at Circuit India, a private company that maintains the audio signals.
He adds, “The mismatch in traffic lights and audio system occurs because we sometimes change the timing of the audio, depending upon the traffic and number of pedestrians using the roads. If proper changes are not made in both systems, there is lack of coordination.”
However, speaking to Express, a senior official from the Traffic department said, “During peak hours, these systems cannot be used because they are automatic and the traffic signals are maintained by the police on duty. If the timing is less, the locals can inform the police at the signal and necessary changes will be made.”
