Everyone relies heavily on public transport in their daily lives. Railway transport is an important one. There are more than 7,461 railway stations in India and more than 500 metro stations in different cities. Those who come to these places for travel see many types of signboards. However, many do not understand what they indicate.

Yellow tiles are a regular sight for those who come to railway station platforms and metro stations. You can see different types of yellow tiles laid in some specific parts of the platforms. Have you ever wondered why this is done? Some people think that it is to make the platform more attractive. Let's understand the importance of this.

Yellow tiles are installed on the platforms as part of a safety measure. This gives more confidence and freedom for people with visual impairments to travel. Yellow tiles are used as a lifeline. These are also called tenji blocks or brain tiles. These tiles were originally installed in public areas to assist blind and visually impaired pedestrians. This system was introduced by Japanese engineer and inventor Seiichi Miyake in 1967. Tactile tiles were first installed in Okayama City, Japan. Today, this system is being implemented in countries around the world.

There are two main types of yellow tiles installed on railway platforms. Yellow tiles with raised dots and yellow tiles with long lines. Yellow tiles with raised dots indicate caution zones. These are mainly installed near the edges of the platform, escalators, and stairs. People who use canes can easily decipher these raised dots.

Similarly, yellow tiles with long lines help visually impaired people walk in a straight line. These mainly lead to exits and ticket counters. Have you ever wondered why these tiles are yellow? Yellow is more visible to those with partial vision.