NEW DELHI: City-based non-profit SaveLIFE Foundation, in close partnership with the Delhi Traffic Police and the Delhi Transport Department, has launched Tactical Urbanism (TU) trials at Burari Chowk and Gandhi Vihar blackspots to improve road safety in the city. The two sites witnessed 18 and 10 road crash deaths respectively between 2018 and 2020.
TU trials are temporary, quick and relatively low-cost interventions, which test out urban design, transportation planning and infrastructural changes for improving road safety for all road users, especially the most vulnerable, like pedestrians, cyclists and other non-motorised transport users. Once the interventions are proven, the relevant government agencies are expected to make them permanent.
As part of the Zero Fatality Corridor (ZFC) Project, SaveLIFE is testing temporary urban design interventions to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users. The trials include road space redistribution for modal equity, road geometrics modification, traffic channelisation, vehicular speed reduction, and the addition of pedestrian and cyclist safety infrastructure.
Speaking about the need to support such interventions, Jasmine Shah, vice-chairperson of the Dialogue and Development Commission, said, “The trials underway in collaboration between SaveLIFE and various government agencies are increasingly proving that such low cost solutions should be replicated, in Delhi and beyond, to save lives.”
Inaugurating the trials, Ashish Kundra, commissioner, GNCTD said, “The government is committed to create safe mobility solutions, which prevent road injuries and fatalities.”