No end to mess outside schools

Because of traffic chaos outside the school, parents cite safety as reason for not using school buses, reports Neelam Pandey.

Sangeeta Uberoi, a mother of three, still shudders when she remember the day a school bus and a private vehicle had a near collision outside her children’s school gate.

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“It is then I decided to personally drop and pick my three children from school everyday. I can’t risk my children’s lives,” said Uberoi, a resident of Greater Kailash-1. Uberoi drives 45 minutes one way to drop her children to school at St Columba’s on Baba Kharak Singh Marg.

Uberoi admits she is adding to traffic chaos outside the school. “School buses take the kids around town before they are dropped home. Their safety is another issue. But can’t the traffic police regulate private vehicles instead of suggesting a blanket ban on our entry?” she asks.

Lack of enforcement of traffic rules outside school buildings is being cited as one of the major reasons leading to jams. And simply stopping parents from dropping/picking up their children will not solve the problem. The MCD has asked Delhi Police to instruct schools to park private vehicles inside school premises.

Residents say driving children to school situated near Gole market area is a task, with the metro construction going on.

“The Baba Kharak Singh road has become a one-way which results in traffic chaos. Many areas such as Kali Barai, Gole Market, Mandir Marg have been severely affected due to the construction”, said Asha Pandey, resident of Kali Bari Marg.

There are a number of schools in and around the area, such as St Columba’s, Convent of Jesus and Mary, Christ Raja School, Jain Happy School, Raisina School, Vidya Bhawan School among others.

Many RWAs had meetings with the traffic police to resolve the mess but action is yet to be taken. “We had a meeting with the principal of St Columba’s. Traffic police was even told to tow away private vehicles parked outside schools, but the situation is still the same”, said Poornima Dhasmana, a Patparganj resident.

From putting up posters encouraging people to use school buses, to asking the traffic police to tow away vehicles parked outside schools’ premises –– all has been tried by school authorities but in vain.

“My kids study in St. Columba’s and it takes a long time to move away from the traffic rush along the lane. Traffic marshals should be deployed in New Delhi”, said Shiela Singh, a resident of Mandir Marg.