New Delhi, March 17 Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta has urged Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu to install audio traffic signals to help vulnerable pedestrians, such as senior citizens and people with disabilities.
In a letter dated March 16, Gupta expressed concern over the daily challenges faced by vulnerable pedestrians and cited visibility issues faced by a large number of people in the city.
The Speaker, citing data from the Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at AIIMS, said that nearly 60 lakh people in Delhi suffer from various vision impairments.
An estimated 12 to 18 lakh people are living with significant low vision, many of whom are senior citizens, he said.
Current traffic systems are inadequate for those who cannot rely on visual cues, Gupta said, while stressing that the lack of accessible crossing aids poses a constant risk of accidents and limits the mobility of a vast section of the population.
In several countries like Japan, the United Kingdom, the USA, Hong Kong, and Singapore, sound cues are integrated in traffic signals to improve pedestrian accessibility, the Speaker mentioned.
In Japan, traffic signals use melodious tunes or bird chirping, which help pedestrians safely cross traffic intersections, he said.
Delhi can significantly reduce accidents and ensure safer pedestrian movement by installing audio signals, he stated.