CHENNAI: When it comes to crossing the road in front of CSI Bain Matriculation higher secondary School in Kilpauk, it is a herculean task as traffic density is high and there are no policemen to regulate the vehicles. Often auto drivers, parents and students don the role of traffic policemen.
This is not the only school, which faces these difficulties. Students from most schools and colleges complain that when they cross the road, drivers ignore their request to stop. Hence, they form a human chain to go to the other side.
Facilities such as zebra crossing are nonexistent. In front of several schools and colleges there are no speed breakers.
There is heavy traffic from 9 am to 11 am, said a student of MOP Vaishnav College. “Policemen posted do not regulate vehicles in the morning. We have to form human chains to cross the road. Cars are parked even inside lanes causing hardship to the public,” she said.
A teacher from the college said, “We take the initiative to act as traffic cops. Since there is no pedestrian crossing, we have to slip through the narrow lane.”
Lalitha Balakrishnan, Principal, said that because of the traffic commotion, the college has changed its timings maintaining a gap of half an hour in each shift.
Varun Balaji, a second year student of Loyola College, said it is a nightmarish experience to cross the road around 6.30 pm, when around 200-300 students come out. The reason for the chaos is the same – heavy flow of vehicles and absence of traffic police. “It takes a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes to cross at that time.” To make matters worse, there are no speed breakers.
In front of PSBB school at KK Nagar from 8-8:30 am, there is heavy traffic. Many students who come on cycles to the school find it gruelling to cross the road.
Many of the cars on Alagirisamy Salai which are parked belong to the parents of students. This road is a one-way during school hours. But this rule is violated, causing difficulties in crossing the road.
Shiva Kumar, a parent, said, “The one-way sign board is not there. There is no ‘no-entry’ sign. There is no traffic constable. I along with other parents regulate traffic. Neither the government nor the school has taken any action.”
In front of CSI Bain Matriculation Higher Secondary school, the situation is worse. As it is not a one-way, students get stuck in the middle of the road.
Principal of Agarwal Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary school, PV Subulakshmi, said, “despite the Police Commissioner’s office being located opposite the school there is no traffic constable. Our students act as road safety patrol (RSP).”
A senior police official said traffic constables are posted in front of most schools during the peak hours.
“The schools also have student RSP. So it is not just the duty of police to monitor traffic, but also the schools themselves,” he said.