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Hi-Tech Road Signs Add To Confusion In Kolkata

By siddharth22, Section Roads in Kolkata
Posted on Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 11:03:42 PM EST

`Use Footbridge' flashes the message in fluorescent orange on the electronic board at Exide crossing, metres away from the Maidan Traffic Guard.

Thousands of pedestrians pass it hardly looking up. They needn't. There's no footbridge in at least two kilometres. The nearest one is at the crossing near Bridge No. 4 at park Circus.

The board showing faulty messages was purchased along with three others by police as part of the traffic modernisation project. The four mobile boards that can flash different messages were purchased for a hefty Rs 20 lakh to guide motorists choose less congested roads.

They have helped little. During the day, particular roads remain congested while alternative routes are hardly availed of.

In an attempt to distribute traffic equitably, the traffic department now plans to install more traffic information boards so that motorists take the less-used routes.

Thing is, most messages flashed by the existing boards are out of context and serve no purpose either to drivers or pedestrians.

DC traffic Manoj Verma, said, "We had bought these boards to display variable information in case of an emergency. For instance, on the day of the VIP Road accident, we placed a board at the Chingrihata crossing to alert airport-bound drivers to take Rajarhat Expressway. But on normal days, we display messages related to traffic safety."

"If traffic is stranded for 20-30 minutes, we will consider it normal and there'll be no use display a message. In case a traffic snarl is the result of a major accident or rally, we will definitely use these boards." But in reality, messages flashing on the boards are not even related to the crossing where a particular board is placed.

Additional CP (III) K Hari Rajan, who once served as DC (Traffic), explained, "After we bought the machines we found that we cannot send variable messages to them from our control room.

To display variable messages, we have to keep a man at the spot where the machine is located."

Hari Rajan said, "Now, we want to buy few Dynamic Digital Display Boards through which we can display variable messages directly from our control room. Since each of these instruments will cost Rs 7 to 8 lakhs, we are in search of sponsors."

If Kolkata Police finds a sponsor and buys the new instruments, then what will happen to the existing mobile variable information display boards?

Additional commissioner of police (IV) Kuldeip Singh who looks after modernisation, said, "We have procured the instruments for the traffic department and now it's up to them (traffic officials) to use them."

Source:The Times Of India,20-04-08

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