Hyderabad: Drivers are expected to slow down in and around schools, but vehicles seem to reach a complete standstill in school zones during peak hours. Traffic personnel say that traffic gets jammed in the areas near Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Gitanjali School and Hyderabad Public School in Begumpet, and Meridian School in Madhapur, during the morning hours. The ongoing Metro construction work imposes an additional burden on commuters. Due to a staff crunch, no extra traffic personnel are available for deployment in these areas.
Traffic experts say that student traffic volunteers, with proper training from the traffic police department, could help in regulating and supervising the flow of traffic. This step could go a long way in clearing roads during peak hours. They also highlight the importance of creating awareness among students to make schools safe zones.
Mr Vinod Kanumala, founder of the Indian Federation of Road Safety, says, “We often conduct awareness and training programmes in schools. We can create safe school zones only with support from the management. We have formed students club in Vishakapatnam and Vijayawada to ensure student participation.”
Schools are not fully supportive in providing student volunteers because of concerns over safety and lack of civic sense among motorists.
Ms Latha Shankar, principal of Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet, said. “We have a large parking ground and we often ask students to help in regulating the traffic there. We have private security guards to regulate traffic outside the school gates. We would not encourage students to do so out of fear of accidents.”
Schools which formerly had students participating in the volunteer programme claim that children have dropped out of the programme due to the dismal response received from commuters.
Ms Geetha Karan from Gitanjali School, Begumpet, said, “It is a very good move if students are trained as well as they were previously. But there are a lot of hassles, such as the children not being taken seriously.
Pointing to another problem, Ms Karan said, “Motorists refuse to accept what the children say to them and are even rude to them.”
She said that while the volunteer programme does help build a sense of responsibility among students, society must evolve a sense of understanding that the volunteers are just trying to do their bit.
