Half of 1,050 Bengaluru schools surveyed lack bus stops in 500m radius

BENGALURU: A survey of 1,050 schools in the city revealed that nearly half of them do not have a bus stop nearby and a large majority do not have any of the traffic-calming measures in place. The survey, conducted by Bengaluru traffic police, was done as a precursor to implementing the Safe Route to School programme.
Traffic cops are reviving their flagship programme, the primary objective being to provide a safe and convenient commute for kids.
It will ensure school-bound vehicles don’t disturb overall traffic in the area. What was successfully implemented in 2012, when MA Saleem helmed city traffic police, is now being brought back with the officer back in charge.
The programme had then covered schools only in central business district. It included steps like staggered opening of schools, encouraging students to use public transport and deploying officers with special school duties.
According to the data, there are 5,366 schools in the city catering to over 18 lakh children, including 9.5 lakh boys and 8.8 lakh girls. Of these, 1,050 were surveyed.
The survey showed 96% of schools have only a single entry and exit, leading to traffic concentrating at a single place and, subsequently, resulting in formation of long queues. Multiple entries/exits help avoid traffic loads and disperse traffic on the adjacent roads.
Only 52% of schools have bus stops within a 500-metre radius, the survey showed. With this, chances of students relying on public transport becomes slim, and the number of private vehicles increases, it pointed out.
There is a series of traffic-calming measures that cops rely on to reduce conflicts between schoolchildren and vehicles. These include footpaths and zebra crossings, traffic signs cautioning drivers and road humps regulating vehicle speed.
As per the analysis, 13% schools had all the traffic-calming measures in place, while 14% had none, taking them into the high-risk category.
Of the schools surveyed, only 232 responded to the traffic management methods. Of these, traffic issues in 158 institutions are managed by the PT teacher, home guard or security. The others are managed by traffic police.
The programme now intends to cover more areas. “We are extending it to all localities of Bengaluru. While the issue of traffic congestion was earlier only with the central business district, it is now prevalent in many areas. We have already had conversations with school managements to start classes before 8.30am and close before 3.30pm. Once schools start, we will also engage with parents to encourage use of public transport. Institutions can hire BMTC buses. It will work cheaper and will be safer too,” said Saleem, special commissioner of traffic police.