Traffic still crawls near schools

Several schools in the City advanced their school timing a few years ago from 8 am to 3 pm, to avoid clashing with the timing of office-goers and ease the traffic congestion around schools. 

But cars, private transport vehicles and vans that come to pick up kids continue to stop haphazardly in front of schools. 

They block more than half the road, creating a traffic jam. It appears that the change of timing has largely benefitted the schools and contributed little to the reduction of traffic chaos.

B Dayananda, Additional Commissioner of Police (traffic), says that the schools have just reopened and the traffic around them will take at least a week to settle down. “The idea of a ‘Lollipop Man’ being stationed at every school is to make sure that the children safely cross the road and regulate the smooth flow of traffic. This is already being done but we are tightening the rules further,” he explains. 

About cars and vans parked outside the schools, Dayananda says, “Before the schools reopened this academic year, we directed the school authorities to make arrangements for parking within the school premises. If this haphazard parking continues, we will be forced to clamp the vehicles, seize them and fine them for violating the ‘no parking’ rule.” 

He adds, “We have issued instructions to people who pick up and drop children that they should not park their vehicles along the school wall but leave immediately after picking up the children. But people don’t seem to heed our repeated pleas.” 

M Lakshminarayana, Commissioner, BBMP, feels that easing traffic congestion is the work of the traffic department. But he thinks that the construction of pedestrian walkways similar to the one constructed at Bishop Cotton Boys’ School and Sophia High School will help children cross the road. 

“I don’t have a problem constructing these pedestrian walkways but there is the problem of acquiring land for it. If the schools are willing to join hands with us in parting with a portion of the school premises, we could certainly think of constructing pedestrian walkways, which will ultimately benefit the school children,” Lakshminarayana reasons. 

While the traffic police seem pleased with their decision, people think that the traffic scenario has become worse. Deepti Taneja, a professional, says, “There is a lack of parking space around schools. People park in the residential parking spaces because they are left with no option. This leads to slow-moving traffic and triggers jams on the main road as well.”  
Nivedita Kartik, who drives regularly to work through Residency Road, says that school vans trigger a huge traffic pile-up. 

“There is a huge jam created in front of Bishop Cotton Boys’ School leading to a pile-up extending till Richmond Circle Flyover and beyond that as well. The traffic police manning the spot turn a blind eye to the school buses and private cars parked on the road,” she notes. 

Nivedita sums up, “The school should provide parking space inside their school premises and the cops should take strict action against the school buses parked on the road to ensure a free flow of traffic.”