Sunday, February 10, 2019

Traffic park visit must for school safety clubs


CHENNAI: A visit to the new traffic park near Anna Square on the Marina beach will be made mandatory for members of road safety clubs of all schools in the city, said transport and road safety commissioner C Samayamoorthy on Thursday. 

The park, constructed at Rs 2.06cr and set to be inaugurated later this month, has a conference room with audio-video facility for which Greater Chennai corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Honda India. “Students and others will be educated about traffic rules and regulations at the part where a simulator to learn driving will be set up. Nearly 10 bicyles and a 50cc non-gear motorbike will also be placed,” said corporation deputy commissioner (works) M Govind Rao. 


The park was set up under the smart city mission fund. “We are awaiting the simulator,” he said.



Work began six months ago on construction of the 4,040 sq m park developed to give a real road experience to visitors. “We have tied up with the district education department which will draw up a schedule for a year for students to visit the park. Children will be educated through an audio video presentation and taken to the amphi theatre where they will learn traffic rules. They can also frolic in the play area,” said a corporation engineer.



There will be variable messaging boards similar to LED boards placed at various junctions in the city. Traffic signals, a bus shelter and a zebra crossing have been set up and landscaping done to ensure an unforgettable experience for even the regualr visitor to the Marina beach who casually drops into the park, said Govind rao.



As per a government order, Samayamoorthy said students were already being taught traffic rules as part of their curriculum. “We plan to set up such parks across the state. Now, only Coimbatore and Chennai have such parks. Trichy is planning a similar facility,” he said.