‘Need speed-breakers outside schools’

Wednesday's incident of a speeding car knocking down two mothers and their children near a Santa Cruz school has raised concerns about the safety of students.

Many city schools have an arterial roads right outside their main gates and vehicles zoom past throughout the day.

While it is not possible for the schoolteachers or parents to accompany the children at all times, the question that rises is who will ensure that they are safely dropped and picked up from school?

Indu Mathur, principal of Apeejay School in Navi Mumbai, suggested that local residents near schools should shoulder social responsibility.

“Every school has a system in place for students’ safety from teachers accompany students till the main gate to deputing security guards on the road to help them cross the road. But there is a limit to all such precautions. Schools cannot be blamed for incidents outside the premises. The society, as a whole, needs to take up the issue,” added Mathur.

Avneeta Bir, principal of RN Podar School in Santa Cruz, said: “It is important to have the cooperation of local residents to ensure that children are safely dropped and picked up from school. We are fortunate to have such a neighbourhood as we block traffic on the road when students are entering or leaving the premises."
Arundhati Chavan, president of the Parent-Teachers Association, stressed on the need of speed-breakers on the roads outside schools.

"If the school is near a junction it is advisable to have a traffic constable present at all times, especially when children are entering and leaving the premises," said Chavan.

"Many schools in Mahim are on the main road or close to it. We have requested the authorities on several occasions to take precautionary measures, such as placing speed-breakers, but the measures undertaken are temporary, leading to the same problem again and again,” she added.