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Citizens urge Hyderabad police to rethink 'free turn' rules over safety; Commissioner responds

Hyderabad is facing controversy over its new 'free left,' 'free right,' and 'free straight' signboards, aimed at promoting unhindered traffic flow. However, citizens and traffic volunteers have raised concerns about the implementation, arguing that it prioritizes vehicles over pedestrian safety and could lead to traffic violations. They point to a lack of clear visibility zones for pedestrians and vehicles, and the potential for accidents. The concern is that the initiative was implemented without proper planning or consideration for pedestrian safety. Officials have acknowledged the concerns and are investigating the matter further.
07:03 PM Feb 08, 2025 IST | Neelima Eaty
Updated At - 07:04 PM Feb 08, 2025 IST
Hyderabad is facing controversy over its new 'free left,' 'free right,' and 'free straight' signboards, aimed at promoting unhindered traffic flow. However, citizens and traffic volunteers have raised concerns about the implementation, arguing that it prioritizes vehicles over pedestrian safety and could lead to traffic violations. They point to a lack of clear visibility zones for pedestrians and vehicles, and the potential for accidents. The concern is that the initiative was implemented without proper planning or consideration for pedestrian safety. Officials have acknowledged the concerns and are investigating the matter further.
citizens urge hyderabad police to rethink free turn rules over safety commissioner responds
Citizens Urge Hyderabad police to rethink 'free turn' rules over safety; Commissioner responds
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Hyderabad: Hyderabad Traffic Volunteers raised concerns on social media about the implementation of "free left," "free right," and "free straight" signboards on the city's roads, citing major issues related to pedestrian safety and traffic violations. Citizens have urged the Hyderabad Traffic Police to reconsider the approach, asking them not to punish all road users due to a rule that seems vehicle-centric and unscientific.

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Lokendra Singh (@HYDTrafficMan) took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his concerns, stating, "Free Right is now live... along with Free Left and Free Straight. Welcome to Hyderabad, where we have our own set of rules and freebies in road commuting. Everything is free."

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He further commented, “As per officials, this was implemented after thorough planning, but I’m not sure what factors were considered. There’s no clear visibility zone for pedestrians at merging points or for vehicles at de-merging points. The consequences on the road cannot be predicted.”

Lokendra Singh tagged several officials, including Hyderabad City Police Commissioner C.V. Anand, Additional CP Traffic Hyderabad P. Viswa Prasad, and Telangana DGP, in his post to bring the issue to their attention. He added, “@HYDTP please don't punish all other road users just for one vehicle-centric unscientific rule. Please take decisions in alignment with the best practices of traffic management.”

The concerns were echoed by others on social media. Road Safety Squad (@aneelnunna) criticized the traffic police for setting up barricades without conducting proper road safety analysis and design. They said, "The government has spent crores to train officials from developed countries, but for 20 years, we haven't seen any proper implementation."

Prasad Karumanchi (@PKarumanchi) argued that while the concept of "free right, left, and straight" promotes an unhindered flow of traffic, it puts pedestrians at risk. He suggested that underpasses, flyovers, or pelican crossings should be used to ensure pedestrian safety.

Team Road Squad (@Team_Road_Squad) also raised concerns for pedestrians, stating, "Nothing is free in this world. Here, it comes at the cost of pedestrians’ safety. Let’s wait and see. Thank you for bringing up this new development @HYDTrafficMan.”

In response to the concerns raised, Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand acknowledged the issue and said, "It’s noted. Let me check."

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