TOI : Traffic cops want all students on school buses to ease jams : Oct 19,2007
DECONGESTING MUMBAI ROADS
Traffic cops want all students on school buses to ease jams
Anahita Mukherji I TNN
Mumbai: After drunken driving, traffic cops are targetting drivers who create jams outside schools when they come to drop or pick up students. They are on a citywide drive to put all children on to school buses.
“We are still in the process of formulating the plan. We hope it will reduce traffic, especially around schools,’’ says joint commissioner of
police, traffic, Vijay Kamble. He adds that the system will have to be modified to suit a school’s needs. “In posh areas, students prefer coming by car rather than school bus, whereas in poorer areas, many students can’t afford a school bus to begin with, and have to walk long distances on the road—often hazardous for small children,’’ he adds.
Incidentally, some city schools such as Cathedral and John Connon High School, Fort, have already put all students onto the schoolbuses, except those who live at a walking distance from school. Kids with high security are allowed to come by car provided they get off a certain distance away from school.
When TOI contacted Indrani Malkani-a parent of Cathedral School, who devised the ‘Model School Bus System’ in 2002 alongwith school principal Mira Isaacs and then DCP traffic Himanshu Roy, she said that she sincerely hoped that the system would be implemented across Mumbai. “This is not difficult to do. Though each school has it’s unique features, school administrations must realise that putting students onto school buses is their responsibility and will go a long way in decongesting the roads,’’ she adds.
Many principals have welcomed the proposal. “We have a lot of problems in the area due to private cars clogging the roads. A lot of children continue to come by car despite our efforts to encourage them to use the school buses,’’ said M P Sharma, principal of GD Somani High School, Cuffe Parade.
According to Vandana Lulla, principal of Poddar World School, Santa Cruz, will help students realise the value of saving the environment.
While Carl Laurie, principal of Christ Church, Mazgaon, agrees with the system in principal, he feels it’s a trifle utopian for the cops to consider such a move at the city-wide level. “At a time when principals themselves find it tough to convince parents to use the school bus, it’ll be difficult for the cops to enforce such a plan,’’ he adds.
anahita.mukherji@timesgroup.com
Publication:Times Of India Mumbai; Date:Oct 19, 2007; Section:Times City; Page Number:3
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