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Traffic mismanagement causing snarls during school dismissals in Lucknow
Commuters face a harrowing time manoeuvring their vehicles on congested roads as students rush out of school.
LUCKNOW: Haphazardly parked vehicles, encroachment along roads, traffic mismanagement, and commercial vehicles flouting norms are among the major causes leading to a chock-a-block in several parts of Lucknow during school dismissal hours. As a consequence, commuters face a harrowing time manoeuvring their vehicles on congested roads as students rush out of school.
The civic apathy has resurfaced months after the city administration issued guidelines to get rid of the problem. As per the directive, schools were asked to station guards to manage traffic during dismissal hours. Also, vending carts were not allowed outside educational institutions. Similarly, parking vehicles on the main road connecting schools was forbidden. However, after a few months of adhering to the norms, people have thrown caution to the wind again.
A recently-conducted HT spot visit revealed that illegally parked commercial vehicles along the roadside take up nearly half of the space in Charbagh. At 3 pm, when students finished their day at the Bal Vidya Mandir school, vehicles coming in from the Charbagh railway station led to a bottleneck in front of the school gates. Making matters worse, guardians were seen parking their vehicles in the middle of the street, barely leaving any space for others to pass by.
“What can we do if people park their vehicles so callously? The lack of proper traffic management outside schools puts students at risk,” said one of the school guards. Due to the chaos, two school teachers were also forced to oversee traffic management.
There was a similar sight outside the St. Agnes Loreto Day School in Lalkuan as well. “It usually takes me nearly 20 minutes to get past the traffic on this stretch as no guard or traffic police personnel is stationed here to manage the traffic. The situation wouldn’t be so bad if someone was deployed here to guide the traffic,” said a man who had come to pick up his daughter from school.
In contrast, traffic management was somewhat better outside the Charbagh branch of CMS. Guards and bouncers kept monitoring and guiding the traffic throughout school hours. The school management also puts up two stop signs at 11:50 am when its primary students are dismissed, said one of the bouncers working for the school.
What’s causing the mess?
E-rickshaws back on 11 banned routes: Despite a ban, e-rickshaws continue to ply on 11 city routes -- including Shaheed Path, Polytechnic crossing, Hazratganj, and metro routes from Amausi to Munshi Pulia crossing, and Parivartan chowk, among others.
Illegal parking: While city authorities remove illegal encroachments along the roadside periodically, illegally parked commercial vehicles -- like autos and e-rickshaws -- lead to traffic congestion outside the Charbagh station, Alambagh bus station, and on Sitapur Road near the Engineering College Square, among others.
Violation of the free left turn rule: In a move to reduce traffic junctions during a red signal, the administration has permitted free movement for vehicles taking a left turn. However, four-wheeler owners often violate the rule, blocking the intersection.
