Hyderabad\'s ambiguous yellow lights are a concern for commuters

Hyderabad: Several traffic signals in the city flash only amber lights at night. This starts from 10-11 pm, sending the traffic haywire and causing a situation that can cause major accidents.

Commuters say the authorities are waiting for accidents to happen, to drill some sense into them.

“They went after vehicles in a drive against use of stickers following an accident at Jubilee Hills involving a Bodhan MLA’s jeep, which killed a two-year old. Now they will be a bit wiser only after a major accident, and then hopefully address this serious issue,” said Priyank Mishra, a techie who travels in the city at night after his work in shifts.

“This clearly poses a threat to even the most law-abiding citizens. For example, if I were to go within the speed limit, a speeding vehicle can come from behind and easily crash into my bike. I am afraid I might end up handicapped or even dead,” he said.

“I missed three accidents in the last two weeks itself due to these blinking amber lights,” said Archana Rao, a private employee from Karkhana, who travels from Jubilee Hills at night on her scooter.

“We are yet to have basic decency and civic sense on the roads. With lesser vehicles on the road and with these blinking amber lights, it is anarchy at nights here. I hope the traffic police fixes these,” she said.

As per research done by students from the Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS) Pilani’s Hyderabad campus, heavy motor vehicles and movement of vehicles from 9 pm to 3 am are the main factors influencing fatal traffic crashes in Hyderabad.

They had analysed the crash data accessed from Hyderabad police and also classified the risk factors associated with fatal road traffic injuries in six segments.

They suggested various steps including a provision for safe pedestrian crossing facility at intersections and adequate illumination of the roadway stretches during night.

However, joint commissioner of Hyderabad traffic police, A.V. Ranganath, said the officials have been turning off the signals at night.
“Fixed and working traffic signals might cause inconvenience to commuters at night. They have to wait unnecessarily at these junctions.”

“We don’t have to go for manual operation, which requires a constable monitoring these places. Instead, the ITMS (Intelligent Traffic Management System) will resolve these issues from July 31. Its AI-based technology will access traffic intensity and the traffic lights will function on that basis.”

“The cameras which gather data on vehicular movements and pedestrian movements would make the required signal changes. It will also reduce the burden on the traffic police,” he added.