With the academic year having begun, it is a common sight to see a number of vehicles queuing up in front of schools in the morning and evening during peak hours.
“Most of the schools refuse to let the vehicles inside the campus. The vehicles need not be parked inside, but it could enter through one gate and after dropping or picking up the children, it could exit through another gate,” R. Vetrivendan, a motorist hit by the traffic snarls, said. Covering the entry and exit points with CCTV cameras would be an added safety for students, he added
The queuing of vehicles holds up the traffic affecting college and office goers and the children are also exposed to risk, by making them get down and board, outside the schools. The entire stretch of Avinashi Road, right from Airport Junction to Uppilipalayam, has a number of schools. Similarly, Trichy Road (from Neelambur bypass junction to CMC Hospital), Pollachi Road, Thadagam Road and Sathyamangalam Road are known to have many schools. From 7.45 a.m. to 9 a.m. and then from 2 p.m. to 4.30 p.m., the hundreds of vehicles lining up along side the roads halt the traffic.
The practice of school vehicles, particularly private school vehicles and vehicles of parents parking their vehicles along side the road continues unabated. Such parked vehicles encroach upon a substantial road space, leaving very little space for the traffic to flow even on arterial roads.
R. Murugan, Chief Education Officer, told The Hindu that instructions were given to schools in recently held meetings to prevent the practice. “We will give the instructions once again,” he said.
P. Perumal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime-also in charge of Traffic), said that the Coimbatore City Police had identified 12 major points where movement of students and school vehicles and alternative pick-up vehicles caused traffic snarls in the morning and evening.
“Apart from traffic police personnel, additional strength from the law and order wing of respective police stations will manage the traffic movement at these 12 places. The police will help the students while crossing roads,” he said.
Mr. Perumal said that traffic police personnel had also been instructed to prevent autorickshaws and mini vans from overloading students.