NGO paves way for safer travel for city’s school students

Until last year, the students of Eksar Talepakhadi Municipal School at Borivli found it difficult to step out of their school premises, owing to autorickshaws and

Until last year, the students of Eksar Talepakhadi Municipal School at Borivli found it difficult to step out of their school premises, owing to autorickshaws and hawkers outside their school.

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Last year, however, the students reclaimed their street and are now able to walk to school and back home without worrying about their safety, thanks to the efforts of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Safe Kids Foundation.

The NGO, as a part of its ‘Safe kids walk this way’ initiative, involved the auto drivers to ensure that the students of Eksar can step out of the school premises in safety. “The parked rickshaws posed a hurdle for students’ safety, for which we had to change the mind-set of the drivers. Thus we conducted a sensitisation workshop with them and their union leaders, during which they were informed that the safety of the students, while they are on the streets, is a collective responsibility,” said Madhavi Gunandekar, programme director, Safe Kids Foundation, a group which works in the field of road safety.

The rickshaw drivers responded positively after the workshop, she said. “Since then, one representative from among the drivers mans the street during the school hours to ensure that the vehicles do not block the entrance,” Gunandekar said.

Apart from rickshaw drivers, the NGO also involves nearby shopkeepers and hawkers as a part of engaging the local community in ensuring road safety for children.

Over the past three years, the NGO has helped the school become a model for others to follow. As a part of its initiative, the organisation has been making school surroundings safe for students.

The process begins with a risk assessment by experts, during which the hazards endangering child safety are identified. “We focus on many things, such as the speed-breakers outside the school, if the designated footpaths are properly aligned with the school gate, if there are ‘school ahead’ signages on the street, the vehicular movement outside the school, if a designated zebra crossing is available to help students cross the street, etc,” said Rupa Kothari, managing trustee and executive director of the foundation. The NGO then approaches the authorities concerned to fix the problems. “We tell the school about these challenges and work with all the stakeholders concerned – the students, school authorities,civic body and local police to address these issues,” Kothari said.

At Subhash Nagar Municipal School in Chembur, 90% of the students walk to school every day. While the street in front of the main gate did not have a zebra crossing and a ‘school ahead’ sign, the crowding owing to the parents who came to pick their children also made it difficult for the students to walk. “We conducted a session with the parents and told them to stand on the opposite side to facilitate better movement among students and other vehicles,” said Gunandekar.

The NGO first implemented the initiative in 2008-09, and over the past two years, has helped 16 other schools with the approach.