In a concerted effort to enhance safety and minimise accidents near school zones in Bengaluru, the city’s traffic police have rolled out a reworked ‘Safe Routes to School’ project again this year. This initiative focuses on designating and demarcating school zones more effectively, particularly in areas with a high concentration of educational institutions within the Central Business District (CBD).
To ensure safer commutes for students, authorities have identified key school zones where multiple institutions are situated in close proximity. A senior traffic police official said that areas such as Residency Road and Museum Road have been prioritised under this scheme, as both locations house around five schools each.
“We have pinpointed specific school zones that witness significant student movement. Our objective is to improve road safety measures in these areas to guarantee that children can travel to and from school without unnecessary risk,” said a police official.
As part of the initiative, traffic-calming measures have been introduced to regulate vehicular movement in school zones. The authorities have installed signboards and rumble strips made of thermoplastic material to slow down traffic and alert motorists when they are entering a school area. Officials believe these measures will ensure greater awareness among drivers and instill a sense of responsibility to prioritise student safety.
“The project aims to encourage children to walk or cycle to school by providing safe routes while also ensuring that school drop-off and pick-up points are well-organised and managed efficiently. Additionally, steps are being taken to regulate vehicular traffic around schools to prevent congestion and reduce the risk of accidents,” official added.
Move welcomed
Parents and students have welcomed the initiative, acknowledging its role in enhancing safety. “This is a much-needed move. School zones often witness chaotic traffic, and it is reassuring to see authorities taking steps to make these areas safer for our children,” said Asha Ramesh, whose child is enrolled in a school on Residency Road.
Echoing similar sentiments, a student said: “It feels safer to cross the road now. Vehicles actually slow down, and there are clear signs to indicate that it’s a school zone.”
Officials have indicated that this is just the beginning, and more areas will be incorporated into the project in the future to better define and demarcate school zones. Introduced by former Special Commissioner (Traffic) M.A. Saleem in 2012, the SRTS was a community-driven project developed in collaboration with the Education and the Transport Departments. It prioritised traffic decongestion and student safety. The initiative had been performing well, but police officials now say it has been updated to better align with Bengaluru’s current traffic conditions. “While the earlier version was successful, the latest improvements aim to enhance its effectiveness further,” official said.
