Making Way For Healthcare! Upgraded Traffic Signals In Bengaluru To Have Emergency Vehicle Sensors For Ambulances

Bengaluru will soon modify up to 163 traffic signals by installing emergency vehicle sensors, which will make room for ambulances and thus help the patient in receiving immediate medical care.

This, in the opinion of M.A. Saleem, Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic), is a step toward saving lives during the golden hour, which is normally regarded as peak traffic hour and during which a car is typically stranded for at least half an hour longer than usual in congested locations.

How Will Modified Traffic Lights Work?

The project is part of the 'B track' initiative, for which the department has received approval and has enlisted the help of Karnataka Road Development Corporation (KRDCL) to obtain the necessary equipment to upgrade the signal lights. The project is expected to be finished in four months, and all ambulances in the city have been outfitted with equipment to respond to signal lights and turn them green.

According to Saleem, as per a report by The Hindu, the Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP), which is intended to give emergency response vehicles the go-ahead, will speed up the flow of ambulances transporting patients during the prime time. The device starts to function and permits the ambulance to pass through as soon as it is close to a traffic signal. The signal automatically changes to red once the car passes and keeps functioning as usual.

'Much-Needed Initiative'

According to Mr Saleem, the traffic police are currently running the show manually. To help with this, 108 committed employees have been given a cabin at the traffic management centre where they can communicate with the staff to help ambulances pass through signals with the least amount of delay possible.

The proposal was first put forth in 2015 and put through a number of testing before being abandoned for an undetermined cause.

Many people have applauded the decision, saying that it was urgently needed given the current traffic situation. It is a much-needed initiative, according to K.V. Trilok Chandra, Special Commissioner (Health) for the BBMP. "It is going to help us save many lives within the golden hour," he added.

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