The Hindu

Mangalore, Feb 15: The district police authorities here are looking at public-private partnership in their endeavour to install solar-powered traffic signals at important junctions in the city. The Police Department has installed such traffic signals at Lalbagh junction, PVS junction, Ambedkar Circle (Jyothi Talkies) junction and Hampankatte junction in the city using funds allocated to it by the Government.

Superintendent of Police B Dayananda, who received a cheque for Rs 5 lac from T D Pai, Deputy General Manager, Canara Bank circle office, here on Tuesday, told that the department was looking forward to participation from various organisations in such endeavours.

"We had requested Canara Bank to sponsor a traffic signal and they have agreed to do so for the one to be set up at Bunts Hostel Circle," he said. The department also intended to set up solar-powered traffic signals at KSRTC junction at Bejai, Kankanady Circle junction and Karavali junction at Bendorewell, he said. The bank's participation in this project was the first of its kind in the proposed public-private participation mode, he said, and added the department would also look internally for funds to implement such projects.

A press release issued by the bank here said that the move to set up traffic signals at four junctions in the city was based on a study conducted by the engineers of Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bangalore, on the vehicular flow at important traffic junctions in the city. The release added that with the city growing rapidly and the number of vehicles increasing proportionately, there was a need for better regulation of traffic movement.