BENGALURU: The advisory by the Bengaluru Traffic Police prohibiting school buses from plying on city roads after 8.30 am has received flak from parents, schools and educationists. According to experts, the decision taken to curb the traffic did not take into consideration a 360-degree perspective of schools, parents and students.
The authorities had stated that buses seen on the roads post 8.30 am, when office-going traffic will hit the roads, will be penalised. The department has also asked schools to stop parking school buses on the roads.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic) Kalakrishna Swamy said this will be implemented in all school zones. Entry and exit points will be made wherever possible for easy drop off of students and exit gateways as well where traffic officers will be deployed to ensure that the regular traffic is not disrupted.
D Shashi Kumar, general secretary of the Karnataka Associated Management of English Medium Schools (KAMS), criticised the move, stating that it is only focussed on reducing traffic. Teachers, children and parents will face disruptions if school timings are altered.
Children will also be inconvenienced as they will have to start their day earlier than usual, he added.
Speaking about the traffic issue, a few schools said to avoid the traffic problems, they have withdrawn their bus services and are dependent only on private vans.