INFANTRY ROAD: Schools have been requested to encourage students to use the common bus facility over other means to commute, said M A Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
According to him, in Delhi, 80 to 85 per cent of the students travel by their school buses.
“Apart from easing traffic, it encourages the spirit of camaraderie because the children get to spend more time with their friends. What’s the fun in going back home with your mother or father,” the cop said. “We have met with around 56 schools, and many of them said they would cooperate.”
Buses, cars and autos parked outside the gates around the start and end of the school day hold up traffic.
“We have said that parking should be provided for these vehicles in their premises, but the problem is that many don’t have the space,” he said.
So to overcome this, schools in central areas have been asked to avoid parking on Richmond and Residency roads.
“Because these are the busiest roads. So we’ve told them that they can use alternative roads, depending on where the schools are located,” Saleem further said.
Schools have also been instructed to start by 8.30 am. “So that there’s a gap of half-an-hour both in the morning and evening before the peak hour traffic and rest of the school traffic set in,” he explained.
School unaware
When contacted by City Express, campus manager of Bishop Cotton Boys’ School, K John Dharmaraj said he was unaware of any meeting that had been called by the traffic police.
“I ensure that all the school vehicles are parked on campus, and the buses go out only 15 minutes after school finishes for the day,” he said. But Richmond Road is busy, with or without the school traffic, he added.
