No place for pedestrians as drivers oblivious to use of zebra crossings

Manmeet Singh Gill

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 5

Though most of the roads in the city are marked with zebra crossings, motorists don’t care at all. Vehicles generally take a halt at traffic signals on zebra crossings that are meant for pedestrians.

Drivers are required to stop their vehicles before the marking so that pedestrians, waiting for their turn to cross the roads, can go ahead. Even the cops at most of the traffic intersections do nothing to deter the drivers who violate traffic rules by obstructing the safe passage for pedestrians.

It was also seen that low road dividers are at not the same space where these markings for zebra crossing has been made. Usually the dividers at the points near Zebra markings are of lower height than the rest of the divider to provide easy access to pedestrians.

“It seems that there is no space in city for pedestrians. They have to jump across the dividers. The city administration must sensitize drivers about the usage of Zebra lines. Or else it can save some money by not painting these lines if they are not serving any purpose,” said a resident Shivani Verma.

The city residents stated that before issuing a driving license, the authorities must ensure that the applicant is aware of all traffic rules including the rights of the pedestrians on roads. “Additionally for those who already posses driving license, the traffic police needs to get tough. It would help in improving the condition of traffic on roads,” said another resident Jagjit Singh. The residents demanded that the footpaths alongside roads should be freed of encroachments and subways can be constructed at points where people cross the road on foot.

In absence of any strict adherence to zebra markings, people can also be seen crossing the roads from anywhere and everywhere. They not only cause a disruption in traffic but also risk their lives.