Clear signage can save a tonne of inconvenience

Representation pic

This edit space has often highlighted signage or the lack of it, with reference to several public facilities. We have written about the poor signage on our roads. Drivers take the car to the end of the road only to find it dug up or closed for some reason. The result is frustration, traffic snarls, and drivers cussing as they try to get out of the blocked space. A simple sign giving a warning at the mouth/entry side of a road will prevent this. Illogically, the signage will be placed at the ‘end' of the road, or there will be no signage at all.

Passengers at Bandra railway station are facing a similar problem. They have complained of poor signage around a foot overbridge whose eastern exit remains intermittently closed due to post-demolition work near Garib Nagar. They climb the stairs only to discover at the top that they must turn back and take a longer route.

Quite rightly, a few notices at the bridge base would have spared them unnecessary climbing. While officials said that it is closed for a few hours during the day and will be fully operational soon, perhaps by the time you read this, the larger picture is that signage is important and necessary. Most of all, this must be placed at the correct place.

Signboards are also ill-maintained. From being damaged to being shifted elsewhere, they are tampered with several times, confusing commuters and pedestrians. At times, the work has been completed, but the signage remains in place at the site for days afterwards.

Signage is like an alarm. One needs them to prevent inconvenience, accidents, and disasters.