Delhi: Where the streets have no name! Damaged, hidden signage fail city
he recent incident involving the misspelling of ‘Singapore’ on a city road sign in New Delhi has drawn attention to the ongoing challenges and confusion associated with road signage in the capital.
The high commissioner of Singapore brought the misspelling to light, prompting the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to urgently correct the error. This incident has shed light on the persistent issue of confusing and erroneous signboards across the city.
An NDMC official stated, “We have instructed the relevant departments to thoroughly inspect the signboards and promptly correct any spelling errors. Additionally, we have established dedicated branches for Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, and English languages to ensure that the names of roads or individuals displayed on signboards are validated by academies before being used.” The official attributed the ‘Singapur’ spelling mistake to a “technical fault.”
Citizens have pointed out that these errors stem from the multiplicity of agencies responsible for managing Delhi and the lack of uniform norms for public signage. For example, NDMC areas display road signboards in green, both in rectangular and triangular shapes, while according to S. Velmurugan, head of the traffic engineering and safety division at the Central Road Research Institute, green signage is reserved for national highways.
“In Delhi, we adhere to the guidelines of the Indian Roads Congress for signage. According to these guidelines, urban area signage should be white on a blue background, and all information-based signs should be on rectangular boards,” explained Velmurugan. “The problem in Delhi is that most agencies are still following the rules set in 2010 for the Commonwealth Games.”
NDMC vice-chairman Satish Upadhyay clarified, “We use the color scheme recommended by the International Road Sign Guide, which was adopted in 2010. Consequently, road signs are green, while place identity boards are blue.”
He further emphasized, “NDMC areas host international events and numerous embassies. The decision to adopt international guidelines for road signs aims to align with global practices, ensuring convenience for visiting delegates.”
However, spelling and color issues are not the only concerns. The Public Works Department (PWD), responsible for managing a vast network of 1400 km of roads in Delhi, has installed many blue signboards, which are often poorly maintained. In areas like Nehru Place and Greater Kailash I, signages have been defaced and rendered unreadable. PWD did not provide a response when questioned about these issues.
In addition to maintenance challenges, improper placement of signboards compounds the problem. At Krishna Market near Deshbandhu College, a car parking signboard is obscured by a food vendor. Atul Goel, president of United RWA Joint Action, a coalition of residents’ welfare associations, commented, “These signboards are failing to serve their intended purpose due to incorrect placement. The road signage along Ring Road from Sarai Kale Khan towards Noida is so confusing that non-regular users might mistakenly take the Barapullah road instead of the DND Flyway. Similar issues plague many other areas in the city.”
Efforts are being made to address these challenges, but the complexities involved in coordinating signage across multiple agencies and conforming to international standards continue to pose obstacles to seamless navigation in Delhi.
The incident involving the misspelling of ‘Singapore’ on a city road sign highlights a larger problem of linguistic accuracy in public signage. This particular error, though embarrassing, is not an isolated case. Many signs in Delhi have faced issues related to language accuracy, which can confuse residents and visitors alike.
The NDMC official’s statement about forming language-specific branches to confirm names before displaying them on signboards is a positive step towards reducing spelling errors. Language accuracy is crucial not only for the city’s image but also for facilitating easy navigation. It’s important that names of places, roads, and landmarks are spelled correctly in all languages to avoid any confusion.
Another significant concern raised in the article pertains to the color of road signs. The discrepancy between the color codes used by different agencies can be perplexing for road users. While NDMC opts for green signage, which is traditionally associated with national highways, other agencies follow a white-on-blue scheme recommended by the Indian Roads Congress for urban areas.
This inconsistency in color codes can lead to confusion, especially for those unfamiliar with the various standards. Establishing a standardized color scheme for road signage in Delhi, in line with international best practices, is a sensible solution. Clarity in signage color can significantly enhance safety and ease of navigation on the city’s roads.
