Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Chaos prevails in front of schools

Staff Reporter

Lack of parking space for vehicles is the main reason

TRAFFIC JAM: A scene in front of St. Mary's Higher Secondary School, Pattom. Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Utter confusion prevails during the morning and evening hours in front of the educational institutions in the capital due to lack of adequate parking space on the school premises for the hundreds of vehicles carrying the students.

Lack of adequate footpaths, zebra crossings and foot over-bridges compound the problems of the students and other road users. The unscientific bus stops and flouting of traffic rules add to the misery. Traffic snarls caused by the illegal parking of the vehicles in front of the schools often extend to the entire stretch of the road blocking the movement of vehicles in adjacent areas and rushing of patients needing medical aid to hospitals.

The worst-affected stretches are in front of St. Mary's Higher Secondary School and Arya Central School, Pattom; Cotton Hill Girls Higher Secondary School, Vazhuthacaud; St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School and Holy Angels Higher Secondary School, near the General Hospital; Chinmaya Mission School, Kunnumpuram; Government Model Higher Secondary School, Thycaud and St. Shantal near Kowdiar.

Except St. Mary's School situated on the side of the NH 47, all others are located on narrow roads and do not have adequate parking space on the campus. Since vehicles are not allowed to enter the school premises, the motorists are forced to park the vehicles near the schools resulting in traffic snarls. The haphazard parking and the U-turns of the autorickshaws and two-wheelers add to the misery of the road users.

Circle Inspector of Police (Traffic, North) M. Radhakrishnan Nair says that lack of parking space on the school premises is the main problem that leads to traffic chaos in front of the schools. "Often, the city comes to a standstill as almost all major schools are located on the side of busy roads. The civic authorities should ensure that adequate parking space is provided within the school premises while granting permission to construct buildings," he said.

The directive of the police to ensure that the vehicles bringing in students should be allowed entry into the campus has not met with success. The traffic wing, which has not many personnel at its disposal, cannot post more constables in front of the schools, says an official. But, in some stretches, personnel of the mobile squad lend a helping hand.

Some unaided schools have now roped in traffic wardens to regulate the traffic.

Foot over-bridges

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Traffic (North), V. C. Mohanan says that a proposal to set up foot over-bridge in front of the major schools to enable the students to cross the road is under the active consideration of the police. The police are trying to introduce foot over-bridges that are made of lightweight materials so that it can be dismantled easily.

Foot over-bridges have been proposed in front of St. Mary's Higher Secondary School, Cotton Hill Girls Higher Secondary School, Government Model Higher Secondary School and St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School. "We are trying to set up the foot over-bridge with the help of sponsors. The response has been encouraging," he added.

Meeting

Meanwhile, a meeting of the heads of the educational institutions and office-bearers of the Parent-Teacher Associations has been convened at the City Police Commissionerate on July 21 to discuss the traffic problems in front of the schools.

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