The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Authorities ignoring children's safety, say parents

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 29, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Authorities ignoring children's safety, say parents

Staff Reporter

Protest against order on use of public transport continues

`BUSES UNSAFE': Parents staging a demonstration in Bangalore on Tuesday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: Parents of schoolchildren have said a solution to the city's traffic problems should not be evolved at the expense of the safety of children.

Continuing their protest against the order issued by the city police and the Department of Education that children should travel by public transport to school, anguished groups of parents said on Tuesday that neither the police nor the Government are concerned about the safety of children. "It is not that we are against public transport. We only want to be assured that our children will reach school safely. The bus stops are almost a kilometre away from school," said P. Unnikrishnan, a parent, said at a press conference.

Holding up posters that said, "I am more concerned than the traffic police for the safety of my child," a group of parents argued that sending children by bus to schools will not, by itself, help reduce congestion on roads.

Mr. Unnikrishnan said a survey that involved 600 parents, conducted by a group of parents, revealed that more than 90 per cent of them went to work after leaving their children at school. Over 2,000 buses are needed to ferry over 30,000 children to school and back. "Can you imagine 2,000 buses on the roads? It will completely choke traffic," he said. "Parents are not going to give up using their own vehicles because of this order. The new order will only add to the chaos," he added.

Parents expressed concern over the safety record of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses. Relying on recent media reports, they said bus accidents are increasing and the vehicles are not a safe option for children.

Prem Kumar, whose children come from Koramangala to Sophia School, said her daughter, if she takes a BMTC bus to school, will have to travel across 19 stops. "By the time she comes back, she will be tired and will not be able to concentrate on studies."

Ms. Kumar said she is also worried that her eight-year-old son will get down at the wrong bus stop.

"The buses will be crowded and no one will be able to help children," she added.

The parents said they will challenge the order in court.

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