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TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

Development Authority (BDA),
Bhubaneshwar Smart City Limited,
Bhubaneshwar Municipal Corporation
(BMC), and Bhubaneshwar Traffic
Police – as well as planners and
decision-makers. Through a hands-on
workshop, the team helped
participants ideate on elements of
smart city design, with a special focus
on what safe streets would look like
from a child’s perspective. To that
end, children were also invited to be
part of the workshop.
Photo by Saurabh Jain/WRI Participants were encouraged
The ‘HP Junction’, as it is colloquially The trial was a major success. The to draw over existing maps of the
referred to, underwent an overnight intersection improvement led to a intersection so as to make the Rupali
makeover. The roads were 30 percent reduction in pedestrian Square safe for pedestrians to cross,
redesigned using very simple tools crossing distances, and included a cars to maneuver, and for people to
– traffic cones and paint – aimed at refuge area at the median. enjoy. The resulting ideas helped the
fixing the road for safe pedestrian The success of this initiative led to implementing team come up with
movement. The logic was simple: by more cities in India wanting to use a holistic design that catered to all
making roads safer for pedestrians, this process to transform their roads. concerns voiced at the workshop.
it is made safer for everyone. In Pune, the success of this temporary Using these designs, the team
The new intersection design initiative let to the local corporation with help from the local authorities
introduced tighter corner radii, implementing the new design transformed Rupali Square overnight.
improved pedestrian space, and permanently at the Pune University The installation will be in place
median refuge islands to shape the intersection. In Bhubaneswar, the for a month, after which, the
street geometry. WRI India was capital city of Odisha, Rupali Square, local authorities will decide the
instrumental in implementing this a major intersection has already been
change, in collaboration with the transformed. way forward. To measure impact,
Municipal Corporation of Greater a random selection survey was
Mumbai (MCGM), Mumbai Traffic The Bhubaneswar Story conducted, before and after, asking
Police (MTP), and a coalition In Bhubaneswar, WRI India and road users a set of questions about
of ‘street-fighters’ under the Bhubaneswar Urban Knowledge their ideas of road safety and how
Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative Centre worked closely with local safe they felt while crossing or
for Global Road Safety (BIGRS). authorities – the Bhubaneshwar walking at Rupali Square.

Before After

Rupali Square, Bhubaneswar, India; Photo by Adish Vinayak/IBI Group

50 December ’17 - January ’18 / TrafficInfraTech www.trafficinfratech-com-500653.hostingersite.com