New multi-directional signs beautify Delhi!

Directional signs or signs that provide information to general public in cities and towns have been around the corner in some form or another for centuries. It’s fairly common to find Municipal Corporation of an area installs usual directional signs at intersections or crossroads indicating the ways you must take for heading to a residential pocket, a market place, a shopping mall, so on.

However, replacing the usual old directional signs, Municipal Corporations in Delhi have installed new and elegant multi-directional signs at intersections, roundabouts, arterial roads, bus shelters, etc. enhancing the overall ambience of the public spaces around the city. The new signs not only give a new spur or a new outlook to the public spaces, but also beautify the city.

Very uniquely, the newly installed multi-directional signs in the capital city put aesthetic factors on a par with the technical factors in terms of designs and colour schemes. Every sign uses symbols alongside the words. The signs are elegantly designed with colour schemes combining black, yellow, and red, which make them more prominent than the usual. And more than just being a bunch of symbols and colours, the signs are designed to be simple and easily understood.

In fact, the project is not only about directional signs. It also consists of cautionary and informatory signs presented pictorially in place of words installed in the specific public spaces like pedestrian pathways, bus shelters, public parks, etc. For example, cautionary signs for Don’t Spit Here, Don’t Litter Here, Don’t Pluck Flower… are crafted pictorially that even help people who are unable to read understand easily.

Powerful effect of signage is reflected in this signage project of Delhi. After seeing this signage project, I would say ‘signage got an upgrade’. Surprisingly, I saw almost similar types and designs of these new signs installed in Delhi public spaces in my recent trip to one of the cities in Germany.

In this issue, our Region Exclusive story is little different from what we usually did earlier. Our travelling team met with some jewellery shops and those signage players who made their shop-front signs, particularly 3D letters. This is an interesting discovery. Read on!

Sonal Khurana
sonal@smediagroup.in