Traffic snarls hit CBD after school reopening

By: Rithu Dravid / NT
Bengaluru

The Central Business District has been witnessing huge traffic snarls since the reopening of the schools this week, giving commuters a hard time.

The main reasons for the issue apparently are the steep increase in the number of vehicles, slow pace of road repair works and illegal vehicle parking. The traffic snarl becomes worse when parents stop vehicles to drop and pick up their wards during school opening and closing times.

Areas near Sophia’s High School on Palace Road, Bishop Cotton’s Girls’ and Boys’ on St Marks Road and Baldwin’s on Residency Road are facing extreme traffic congestion.
In an attempt to decongest the road, the Bengaluru City Traffic Police have deployed officers to avoid illegal parking during the peak hours.

Dr B R Ravikanthe Gowda, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Bengaluru City said one traffic cop will be assigned to each school in the CBD area to coordinate the traffic issues. “The schools have agreed to appoint an employee to help children cross the roads  safely,” he said. Schools officials too have taken note of the  traffic issue seriously.

Sr Alpana, Principal, Sophia High School, said her school is taking best efforts not to affect vehicle movement in and around Palace Road during the school hours. “We are happy to see our children back in school after a long gap. For the smooth running of the school, we need to follow traffic guidelines. The traffic police officials are extending us full support,” she said.

The traffic police have prescribed that students could stay in the campus or near the school gate till their parents arrive. The idea was to complete the pickup in a few seconds, thus decongesting the road outside the school. A senior official had also dispatched letters detailing the process to managements of schools in CBD areas in the city.

An official with a private school said the traffic management issues will be sorted out gradually. “This is the first week and the traffic issues will settle in the coming weeks,” she said.