Drop your child & pay Rs 400 fine!

Drop your child & pay Rs 400 fine!
New Rule To Come Into Force From July 1 Now
The Times of India

Bangalore: Dropping off your child at school in your car or two-wheeler will cost you a fortune from July. You will have no option but to pay a fine of Rs 800 per day — Rs 400 for dropping your ward at the school and the same amount for picking up the child in your own vehicle!

The traffic police will post-nodal officer in each of these schools to ensure implementation of the new rules and coordinate with BMTC and school authorities.

But wait. The deadline has been relaxed: this rule will come into force from July 1 instead of June 1. However, the new school timings of 8.30 am will be implemented from June 1. “With schools starting on June 1, we wanted these rules to be implemented immediately. Since the school managements wanted to discuss the issue with the parents, we have relaxed the deadline by a month,’’ deputy commissioner of police (traffic), M.A. Saleem told The Times of India.

As part of the ‘Safe Route to School’ project and to decongest the city traffic at peak hours, the city police have banned parking within 200 mts at 16 English medium schools in centrally located areas of the city.

According to a joint survey conducted by the City Traffic Police and the Bangalore Agenda Task Force, nearly 3,000 cars and over 800 twowheelers are on the roads every morning at just three schools in core areas. The figures could be mindboggling if you take the other schools into account.

To support the new move, the education department has issued an order directing these schools to provide buses to all students who come by private vehicles or hire BMTC buses to ferry them. “BMTC has agreed to provide any number of buses to these schools. These buses will be child-friendly, and have pneumatic doors to ensure safety. There will be woman conductors to ferry girl students,’’ Saleem added.

City schools to open by 8.30 am
Institutions Must Hire Buses To Transport Children: Govt

Bangalore: To decongest traffic in Bangalore, the state education department has staggered the timing of all English-medium schools. From June 1, all English-medium schools—including CBSE and ICSE—will have to commence classes by 8.30 am.

In its order dated May 27, 2005, the department has asked school authorities to arrange for buses to discourage students from travelling by private vehicles. Else, they have the option of hiring BMTC buses to ferry students. In addition, it has asked schools to train bus drivers ferrying students so that safety is ensured. The new rule will be limited to English-medium schools in Bangalore only. There will, however, be no ban on students coming by autorickshaws. But as per the high court order, the number of children per auto should be restricted to six.

“We have asked the schools to collect the bus fee as part of the tuition fee itself. During our meeting with the school managements we told them to encourage students who come by walk or cycling,’’ primary and secondary education secretary T.M.Vijaybhaskar told TOI.

As part of the Safe Route to School project, 31 schools in Bangalore have already hired 153 BMTC buses for their students. These buses make 235 trips per day.

BMTC will offer buses to schools at concessional rates. According to DCP (traffic) M.A.Saleem the cost will be just Rs 150 per child every month. “Travelling by buses is economical for students. Besides, travelling with their friends to school not only builds confidence among the children but also enhances their exposure to the world,’’ he stated.


BMTC will also introduce school-specific buses. These buses will carry students of one particular school from various pick-up points and drop them back. “We want even the teachers to come by these school buses. This will further reduce the traffic on Bangalore’s roads,’’ he added.

Though the school managements and parents are apprehensive on the government’s new move, Saleem’s logic is simple: “50 children in a bus means 50 cars off roads!.’’

WHY THIS CHANGE

School timing staggered to decongest traffic in peak hours.
Private cars and two-wheelers dropping children are the main culprits for traffic jams.
No ban on autorickshaws or vans. But number of children in an auto restricted to six.
Traffic department wants even teachers to travel in school buses.


NEW RULES

All English medium schools (including CBSE/ICSE) to start classes by 8.30 am from June 1.
Starting July 1, no parking in front of 16 centrally-located schools
No entry for private cars and two-wheelers. Offenders to pay Rs 400
All schools must have bus/van facilities to ferry students or hire BMTC buses
BMTC to run child-friendly and school specific buses from July 1.

List of schools where private cars and two-wheelers are banned:

Baldwins Girls’ School, Hosur Road
Baldwins Boys’ School, Hosur Road
Bishop Cottons Boys’ School, Residency Road
Bishop Cottons Girls’ School, St. Marks Road
St. Charles School, Hennur Road
National Public School, Indiranagar
St. John’s School, Promenade Road
Frank Antony Public School, Ulsoor
St. Meera School, Ulsoor
Sophia Girls’ High School, Near High Grounds Police Station
St. Francis Xavier School, Coles Park
St. Germain School, Coles Park
Sacred Hearts Girls’ School, Residency road
Kendriya Vidyalaya, Victoria Road
Cathedral High School, Hosur Road
St Anne Girls high school, Millers Road.
(Source: City traffic police )