MillenniumPost
Bengal

'Queue Jump Lane' to make public commute easier

Kolkata: The Kolkata Traffic Police is planning to introduce "Queue Jump Lane" to ensure faster movement of public transport vehicles - buses and auto-rickshaws.
With the introduction of the system, buses and auto-rickshaws would get a clear passage to reach near the traffic signal instead of waiting behind private and other vehicles when the signal is red. As a result, these vehicles can move ahead of other vehicles as soon as the signal turns green.
The system will be tested by introducing it as a pilot project at Rashbehari Avenue and Southern Avenue. If the system is found to be beneficial, then it would also be implemented in others crucial parts of the city. The Kolkata Police have given the responsibility to IIT Kharagpur to carry out the task.
Explaining the system, an officer said the existing bus bays will be widened and a traffic signal will be set up a few metres ahead of the existing signals. All vehicles will stop at the newly installed traffic signal. Only buses and auto-rickshaws will take the "queue jump lane" and will go ahead up to the main traffic signal situated at the intersection of roads. As soon as the main signal turns green, buses and auto-rickshaws will move ahead of other vehicles and it will help commuters travelling in public transport to reach their destinations conveniently. At the same time, other vehicles will also not have to move slowly behind buses and auto-rickshaws.
It may be mentioned that Kolkata has only 6 percent of it as roads and with increase in number of vehicles everyday, the traffic department of the Kolkata Police have no other way instead of introducing modern technologies in maintaining traffic movement to ensure smooth flow of vehicles.
The state government has chalked out an elaborate plan of connecting different points of the city and its outskirts with flyovers to reduce traffic congestion.
Similarly, introduction of the system like "queue jump lane" is also expected to help the police in maintaining traffic in a better way.
However, the system has been initially introduced at Rashbehari Avenue and Southern Avenue on Friday. The senior police officers of the traffic department will also visit the place to ascertain whether it will be helpful if the same gets implemented at other crucial intersections in the city.
It may be recalled that the city police have also installed special security barricades at crucial intersections in the city to ensure that pedestrians do not cross road unless traffic signal turns green for them.
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