Parking ban near two more schools from today

Parking ban near two more schools from today

The Hindu

Bishop Cotton Boys School, Sacred Heart Boys School added to the list Schoolchildren say they enjoy the bus ride as they get to spend more time with their friends and can have more fun than when going with their parents


BANGALORE: As part of the Safe Route to School programme, the Commissioner of Police, Ajai Kumar Singh, on Tuesday passed an order prohibiting parking of private vehicles in the 200 metres radius of two more schools.

According to the order, parking of private vehicles will be banned from Wednesday in the vicinity of Bishop Cotton Boys School on Residency Road and Sacred Heart Boys School on Richmond Road.

The police, on a pilot basis, banned parking of private vehicles in a radius of 200 metres of five schools from July 1. "After satisfactory implementation of the rule in the five schools, it is now being extended to two more schools," Dr. Singh said in a press release.

After the ban on parking of vehicles near schools came into force, there are some doubts whether the system will work or not. Some school authorities feel there is less congestion near the school and feel satisfied with the new system.

"Our school is doing its best and getting full support from the police, but every new system takes some time to get used to, and the parents should have a bigger perspective and understand it is reducing traffic jams during rush hours," the Principal of Sophia School, Sister Anita, said.

She added that 11 BMTC buses were coming to pick up children and the school was also providing "car pool passes" with the names of the children on the back of it for parents who opted for it.

The schoolchildren said they enjoy the bus ride as they get to spend more time with their friends and can share and have more fun than when going with their parents — most of them were getting into a bus for the first time.

Parents afraid

"We are scared of sending the kids by buses and also when they have to cross the roads by themselves," said Mamees and Jude, parents of two students.

They said: "The children in the primary and secondary level should be dropped inside the school premises by the private school vehicles. Carpool is also not a solution."

Some BMTC drivers feel that the new rule is convenient. Earlier, there used to be traffic jams near schools before and after school hours, but now the traffic has improved and the children also enjoy the bus ride, they say.

Some parents suggested construction of subways at junctions near schools.

At the Bishop Cotton Boys' School, where the "no parking" rule has not been implemented till Tuesday, cars and other vehicles coming to pick up children were allowed inside the campus.

Vehicles are now allowed to enter through the gate at Lavelle Road and exit from the main gate at the Residency Road junction.

The Principal, A. Ebenezer, said: "Asking parents not to drop children below the age of eight is not a good policy. It can create anxiety for the children and the parents too. One cannot curb the personal freedom of the parents to choose how their children should travel to school."

The father of a boy in seventh standard suggested: "The government can well start new schools on the outskirts where travelling by bus can be the best solution... not in the heart of the city."

Other parents repeated the fears that no school campus may have adequate space to park buses hired from the BMTC.

One parent differed. "Regulating parking around schools is a wise move and may well reduce congestion on the roads during school hours. It will be better if schools have their own buses with trained drivers. Children will then be safer."