Lalitpur Metropolitan City (LMC) has launched smart safety barriers in Jawalakhel to enhance pedestrian safety.
According to LMC, the system has been installed on a pilot basis for the first time in Nepal and is expected to help reduce road accidents by ensuring effective implementation of traffic rules.
Sitaram Hachhethu, chief of the LMC Municipal Police, said that the smart barriers operate in coordination with traffic lights and encourage pedestrians to use zebra crossings only when it is safe to do so.
The barriers are designed to open automatically when the green light is on and close when the red light is on, which is expected to help curb the tendency of people to cross the road during red lights.
The system is equipped with sensors that prevent the barriers from closing while pedestrians are still crossing the road. According to LMC, this allows people to cross the road safely and reduces the risk of accidents.
LMC said that it also plans to place planters along both sides of the road to discourage pedestrians from crossing the street from locations other than the designated zebra crossings.
Lalitpur Mayor Chiri Babu Maharjan said that pedestrian accidents have increased in the past due to disregard for traffic rules and the improper use of zebra crossings. He said that the smart safety barrier system aims to create a safe and organized road environment for both pedestrians and motorists.
The smart safety barriers have so far been installed at two locations in Jawalakhel as part of the pilot project. Maharjan said that if the trial proves successful, the metropolitan city plans to gradually expand the system to all intersections with traffic lights across Lalitpur.
