Schools, van drivers, police, all in a blame-game

Commuting is a living nightmare on Residency Road and St Mark’s Road when schools open and close during the morning and afternoon peak hours. Schools say they have no space inside to let in private vehicles and as the student pick-up and drop vans stay right on the road, traffic congestion becomes the rule.

Here’s a cross-section of the road-users, including van drivers and students, articulate their frustrations, suggestions and possible way outs. But even as they talk, the private vehicles and parents could be seen gather around the school gates in big numbers, worsening the congestion all around.

Drivers of the private vans unattached to the schools and autorickshaw drivers who pick up the children, say they have started parking their vehicles away from the school. But reality is not always what they say as the big number of vehicles near the gates clearly shows.

Rajesh M S, a van driver who has been working for almost 25 years here, observes: “This road is commuter-friendly till the beginning and end of the school day. It is a nuisance to pick up and drop kids while the traffic is at its peak here.”

But he then makes another observation that could be problematic: “This issue was severe before as vans were only allowed to be parked on one side of the road. Now they have given us permission to park on both sides, even opposite the school, reducing traffic from the road adjacent to the school.” But the chaos outside the Bishop Cotton’s School did not authenticate his observation.

Another van driver, Srikanth S R had this to say: “I have to leave early to get the kids to school before it opens as there is a lot of traffic during that time. Even the kids have to leave soon and reach back home late because of this issue. Maybe, if the schools change their timings in accordance with the timings of other schools of this area, there would be less traffic to deal with.”

“Traffic in this area will only increase if no actions are taken and the commuters will be the one to take the heavy toll,” adds Srikanth.

Jane Olivia, an 11th grade student studying in Bishop Cotton’s Girls’ School says, “travelling to and fro from school is very hectic due to traffic. Living in Banaswadi, I have to start one hour before my school timings. It takes me 35 to 45 minutes to travel in the morning and up to one or one and a half hours in the evening by cab.”

The traffic, she notes, begins to pile up from Airline Hotel Junction to Richmond Road Flyover. She knows the reason: “The traffic congestion is caused because all schools in and around St Mark’s Road and Residency Road close around the same time.”

Shwetha Harsha, a parent whose daughter studies in one of the schools here, talks about a related problem: “The traffic here begins at eight in the morning because office commuters too begin their day at this time. Having to drop my kid in the morning and picking up is slightly difficult. But this is better than sending my daughter in a van or tempo traveller, as it is not safe.”

Staying in Frazer Town makes it easy for her to pick and drop her daughter. However, “heavy traffic during peak hours makes a kid very tired and disturbed,” she adds.
For the traffic policemen managing vehicular flow at the school gates, action without a plan is getting tough every year. For commuters stuck in traffic, the wait is getting longer. And many are frustrated that there is no solution in sight.