Pedestrian safety neglected: Rise in accidents despite increased Pelican crossings

Hyderabad: Despite more pelican crossings coming up in the city, pedestrians crossing the roads at any point is a common sight. Many do not prefer looking for a zebra crossing or a traffic signal, and cross the road from wherever they are.

This has proved to be harmful. According to the Hyderabad City Police Annual Report 2022, the number of pedestrian road accidents increased from 664 in 2021 to 691 in 2022 in which 95 pedestrians were killed and 598 injured.

The question is, why don’t several pedestrians use the zebra crossing, foot-over-bridges even pelican signals created for them to cross the roads. Some blame it on the lack of awareness.

"Not all pedestrians may be aware. The second reason could be inadequate infrastructure. Another reason is traffic congestion," said S. Umesh Kumar, IT employee and commuter.

Some others said that pedestrians don't cross roads at a safe crossing point because of inefficiency or laziness. "The nearest safe crossing point could be far off and it could be a major problem for senior citizens. One might also find escalators or lifts not working at the FoBs, and now, due to several diversions and junctions being removed, the safe crossing points are even farther away," said Manya Lekha P., who commutes via public transport.

To arrest the trend, suggested traffic rules for pedestrians. Another suggested ensuring safe crossing points aren't far away from each other. "All footbridges need to have escalators and elevators and they must be checked and maintained. There can also be more speed restrictions for vehicles. Signboards mentioning how far the nearest crossing point is can help too," said Kiran Kumar G.

The GHMC has proposed 94 pelican signals, of which 68 have been installed including at Anand theatre in Begumpet, Care Hospital, Banjara Hills, Rythu Bazaar in SR Nagar, Shalimar T junction in Panjagutta, Shadan College in Saifabad, ENT Hospital in Koti, Yashoda Hospital in Malakpet, Bapughat U-turn in Langar Houz, Narayanamma College in Shaikpet, Lepakshi at Tank Bund, Railway Degree College in Tarnaka, Peddamma Temple in Jubilee Hills Rd no 36, among others.