PMC’s pilot pedestrian crossing for blind sees happy walkers

A table top-raised pedestrian crossing constructed on Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Road was lauded by blind students who used the stetch on Saturday as October 15 marks International White Cane Day. A few regular pedestrians also tried to experience the table top with their eyes masked.

The pedestrian crossing is part of pilot project under Rajendra Ardhapure, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) executive engineer, in consultation with Aditya Chawande, programme associate, Parisar, launched in November 2021.

The modern design mid-block crossing at LBS Road, Navipeth, allows pedestrians to cross the street without climbing a step. One can walk continuously from the recent footpath to the other footpath.

Save Pune Traffic Movement (STPM) and The Poona School and Home for the Blind (girls) Kothrud walked along the pedestrian crossing to make people aware of the facility and appreciate PMC’s initiative.

Vaishali Kamble, a blind student, “Usually we tend to avoid walking in crowded streets and get stuck at crossings for the right direction. I liked walking across this pedestrian crossing today and felt safe. Only thing missing is a kind of warning bell or a sound to alert motorists about pedestrian crossing.”

“Efforts by Pune Municipal Corporation’s Non-Motorised Transport Committee to make it easier and safer for pedestrians to walk and cross streets have resulted in PMC building a mid-block crossing (MBC) on this road,” said Harshad Abhyangkar, STPM.

Gayatri Sawale, teacher at The Poona School and Home for the Blind, said, “Such crossings are useful not only to the blind, but also to everyone. An auditory indication when pedestrians get a green at signalled intersections will make it a bit safer for the blind cross the road.”

“Raised table top surface helps in reducing speed of the traffic approaching the crossing. Bulb-outs with bollards in the parking area (multi-utility zone) at both the edges of footpath side restricts vehicle users to park at crossing areas which enhances the visibility and safety of pedestrian. Wider refuge space with bollards at central median (divider) gives pedestrian user a safer space to wait for safe passage with higher visibility while crossing. Better placed signages, solar blinker amber signals and road marking such as rumbles strips with cat eyes helps traffic to slow down at such crossings even in night time,” said urban designer Aditya Chawande.

Chawande said that though the design is not implemented fully as per the proposed design elements and specifications, the pilot attempt has received good public response.