Nagpur, India- As the monsoon approaches, the city authorities have decided to switch some traffic signals to blinker mode to help commuters cope with the heat. Shashikant Satav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Traffic, told media that around 35 traffic signals will be on blinker mode from 12 pm to 4 pm. These signals are in areas like Civil Lines where there is less traffic in the afternoon. This change means drivers won't have to stop at these signals in the heat and can cross intersections more easily.

With rising temperatures, more commuters were jumping signals because they couldn't wait in the heat. Many citizens had hoped the police would switch to blinker mode sooner. “Senior citizens, students, and delivery drivers on two-wheelers were risking their lives by jumping signals or waiting in the heat,” said Rajiv Jagtap, President of Janmanch. People wondered why it took so long for authorities to make this change at the end of the summer when they had endured the heat for so long. This temporary solution will help commuters deal with the heat, but they still need to be careful and follow traffic rules.

Jagtap was frustrated that it took so long for authorities to address the issue. He believed the decision to switch to blinker mode should have been made earlier, providing much-needed relief. There are standard guidelines for actions to take when temperatures rise too high. Traffic is usually lighter in the afternoons, a fact acknowledged by the DCP Traffic, who noted that signals at busy intersections would still function normally. Many citizens feel the change should have come in early May, at the start of the intense heat, rather than at the end of summer. Finally, some relief for the public, though it came late.