COIMBATORE: The city police have installed pelican signals at three more major pedestrian crossing zones in the city on Trichy Road and Avinashi Road.
Several pelican signals are already installed in the city aimed at easing pedestrian crossings. However, some of them are in disuse owing to a lack of public awareness and inappropriate choice of locations.
Pelican signals are currently operational at 16 locations, including Dr Nanjappa Road near Gandhipuram town bus stand, Park Gate junction, Brooke Fields Mall, Thudiyalur junction on Mettupalayam Road, 11th cross on 100 Feet Road, Varadharajapuram, CIT, SITRA, Krishnammal College on Avinashi Road, Kallimadai junction, and Shanthi Social Service in Sungam on Trichy Road.
"A few signals are scarcely used by pedestrians or are located near roundabouts where people tend not to use them. Drivers often disregard the red pedestrian signals, creating safety risks. Some signals also have malfunctioning audio systems. Signals at Krishnammal junction, SITRA, Thudiyalur, Brooke Fields, and CIT are well utilised, whereas signals at Sungam, Gandhipuram, and Park Gate are underused due to a lack of awareness," said a police officer attached to the traffic unit.
Police have installed three additional pelican signals at Olymbus bus stand near Ramanathapuram on Trichy Road, and two on Avinashi Road near PSG College of Technology and PSG Arts and Science College. As these locations witness high pedestrian footfall, the city police installed these signals with support from private sponsors.
Sources said each signal costs approximately Rs 11 to 12 lakh, and the signal at PSG Arts and Science College was funded by the college and Aravind Eye Hospital, while the other two are financed by PSG institutions.
Coimbatore introduced pelican signals, which are pedestrian-activated traffic lights, on busy arterial stretches such as Avinashi Road and Trichy Road. Pedestrians activate these lights by pressing a button, which turns the light red for around 30 seconds once every three minutes, allowing safe passage for pedestrians. These signals were introduced to enhance road safety following the adoption of roundabouts and U-turns, which replaced traditional traffic lights. Despite their benefits, many signals are underutilised, with some motorists even ignoring them.
"While a few junctions need these signals, in some cases, signals are installed in inappropriate locations. The signal at Varadharajapuram, for instance, at the entry of the up ramp of GD Naidu Flyover, needs to be relocated. Some signals are underutilised and require awareness of their purpose. We are also considering the introduction of AI technology to detect waiting pedestrians and operate signals automatically. Relocating underused signals and boosting public awareness are the main goals of this project," said a senior police officer.