Gridlock near CBD schools will ease in 15 days, say police

Traffic congestion near educational institutions in the CBD may ease in the next 15 days as the police are working out a plan to regulate vehicular movements during pick-up and drop-off hours.

The traffic situation gets bad along Residency Road, Vittal Mallya Road, Museum Road, St Mark’s Road, Richmond Town and Fraser Town among other areas as parents, guardians and attendants arrive by personal vehicles or autos/cabs to pick up or drop off students. School buses, too, add to this congestion as they jostle for space.

In order to address the issue, the traffic police have issued notices to around 300 institutions in central, eastern and southeastern parts of the city.

Kala Krishnaswamy, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic, East), told DH that these were compliance notices and talks with schools were underway.

Acknowledging that most schools might find it difficult to rent large spaces in the CBD, the officer asked them to be flexible in allowing parking inside the campus. But if they can’t do even that, they should make sure vehicles arrive only when children come or leave (15 minutes before and after). For this, they should hire wardens.

“We will train the wardens,” she said and expressed confidence that things would improve in the next 15 days.

Another traffic police officer suggested that some vehicles could be parked near BBMP parks, if possible.

A source in an educational trust that runs several schools in the CBD said they do let in vehicles for a short time during the pick-up and drop-off hours.

“But we cannot allow them to park for hours together. That’s not feasible, especially in girls-only schools,” the source said. In his opinion, the problem is that the parents of many students send their chauffeurs who park outside for hours, causing congestion.

Fr Rohan D’Almeida, Principal, St Joseph’s School, said: “We have asked the parents not to use their private transport, which is the leading cause of traffic. Secondly, we have arranged parking inside the campus for private vehicles because we don’t have school buses. So, they park inside.”

“We have kept extra security guards at the gates. We ask parents not to park in front of the gates and on the road,” he said. The problem, however, is that there are other schools further down the road, and parents and vehicles from those institutions also come this way, increasing the traffic, he added.

The presence of other establishments also contributes to traffic, Fr D’Almeida added.

A parent from Bishop Cotton Boys’ School said: “Where is the space to fit in buses as well as private vans around here (St Mark’s Road)? It is difficult for me to make space even for my two-wheeler.”

She continued: “There are three to four other schools on this road. All of them have the same timings. So, there is a conflict of buses, private buses, school buses, everything together.”

Use BMTC buses

She suggested that the government mandate all schools to use BMTC buses for student pick-up and drop. “This way, schools can make more space and reduce traffic congestion at the same time,” she added.

A parent whose child studies in a school on Residency Road denied that the institution allows them into the premises. “Traffic police don’t let us stay on the road and the school wouldn’t allow us in,” the parent added.

Schools have been asked to take the following steps:

1) Allow as many vehicles as possible to park inside their premises.

2) Discipline drivers so that they pick up and drop off students without hassling other road users.

3) If they don’t have parking space inside the premises, they should rent spaces nearby.

4) Wherever parking is allowed on the road, it should be single-line parking.

5) Appoint wardens who can move children quickly and regulate the vehicular traffic.