125 pedestrian signals to be installed across Pune city

Pedestrian safety is essential to creating a walkable city. Moving forward with a plan to improve pedestrian safety, and therefore walkability, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has allocated a budget to install 125 pedestrian signals at various chowks in the city.

“As part of Pedestrian Day, observed in the city on December 11, we have approved 125 chowks in the city to be installed with modern pedestrian signals with countdown timers. The proposal was submitted by the electrical department and has been approved. Similarly, under Smart city project, more 125 chowks in the city will also get new pedestrian signals,” said Pune mayor Murlidhar Mohol.

According to the survey conducted by PMC, roads like Gadital Solapur road, Ganapati chowk, Vimannagar, Pen chowk, Senapati Bapat road, Athavale chowk, Law College road, Karnatak School chowk, Gulwane road, Sant Kabir chowk, Nehru road, Khadi Machine chowk, Katraj-Kondhwa road need better pedestrian crossing and management in order to install new signals.

Besides signals, the mayor is also keen on zebra crossings being highlighted distinctly as well as having better footpaths in the city. “We have specifically asked our departments to keep the underground pathways in the city, clean and to be fully equipped with lights and CCTV cameras from December 11 onwards,” said Mohol.

Harshad Abhyangkar, representing Save Pune Traffic Movement (SPTM) said, “SPTM and other NGOs are compelling Maha Metro to ensure that the roads along the Metro corridors provide sufficient road space for ‘walk-bus-cycle’ infrastructure. A cycle track that implements SPTM’s design suggestions is taking shape on Pashan road. We hope that with it, more cyclists will use the track instead of the carriageway. We have also encouraged the PMC officials to do a ‘Pathpathyatra’ of about 1 km to take note of the difficulties encountered while walking on the sidewalk and make improvements.”

“On this Pedestrian Day, we are trying to highlight pedestrian’s importance through various interventions like safer streets, safer junctions, safer mid-block crossing, pedestrian only shopping streets, and pedestrian signals. Most of the city’s arterial streets are so motorist-oriented that citizens can barely cross the street Pedestrian signals must be implemented at every junction on priority to improve pedestrian’s safety on the streets,” said Aditya Chawande, architect urban designer, project associate at Parisar.

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