Bengaluru: People in a hurry may tend to jump the red signal at traffic signals, but not this one is a 'symbolic heart signal'. The red signal lights in Bengaluru city are touching the hearts of road users these days by displaying an appealing 'heart symbol' in red colour in a message to the travelling public to take care of their cardiac health.
The Bengaluru city police introduced this appealing message-oriented traffic signal system after the Manipal Hospitals approached them with a request to help in creating awareness about heart health among the public. Consequently, in many parts of the city, the red light has changed to red heart in the traffic signals.
The city [olice agreed to include health awareness in the day-to-day traffic management system when even the youth are complaining of cardiac ailments in recent years. Changing lifestyle habits and sedentary work routines have not spared any section of society from various diseases.
Joint Commissioner of Police (traffic) BR Ravikanthe Gowda said that the 'red heart symbol' is being displayed in many traffic junctions of the city, including Mahatma Gandhi Circle and Minsk Square. In place of 'round shaped red signal' in the road signal lamps, a heart symbol will appear, urging people to be careful about heart-related diseases.
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In view of World Heart Health Day, the Manipal Hospital has asked for the cooperation of the police department to try some innovative ways to create awareness among the youth. "First of all, we have allowed them to modify the red signals at the specified junctions into a heart shape. Along with the colour, there will also be an announcement, "Stop when red comes, this is a message from the heart," the Joint Commissioner said. Ravikanthe Gowda further said they will make announcements of messages related to heart health on police kiosks until October 25 considering it a social responsibility to create health awareness.
