COIMBATORE: The district administration and police have instructed private schools to allow vehicles into their premises to pick up and drop off students, but some schools have ignored the guidelines which has led to traffic jams on the roads as the vehicles are forced to park on the roadside
In June 2023, Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati told school management to allow vehicles transporting children into their premises. Also, the school management has to appoint people to regulate and monitor the movement of children. The city police commissioner V Balakrishnan also issued a statement directing schools to follow the instructions.
“In a meeting organized by the district administration, schools were told to have separate gates for entry and exit. While most schools complied, a few failed to follow the instructions,” said a police officer.
Sources said police would serve notices to schools that ignore students' safety. For example, schools situated on Puliyakulam Road near Kidney Centre, near Coimbatore Medical College Hospital on Trichy Road, and on Thondamuthur Road near Vadavalli did not implement the police advisory. The officer added that police personnel are deployed on school roads to regulate traffic flow.
K Dineshkumar, who operates a vehicle to one of these schools, said he is not allowed inside the campus mostly in the evening. “I reach the school 30 minutes earlier every day to get a place to park my vehicle. If I fail, students will face a struggle in searching for the vehicle,” he said.
When asked, District Educational Officer for private schools N Senthilkumar said he would instruct schools to follow police advisory. City police commissioner V Balakrishnan said action would be taken against violating schools.