City Police launch school safety drive

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

With Hyderabad witnessing a sharp rise in traffic and road safety concerns, the city police on Friday unveiled a comprehensive action plan to protect schoolchildren during their daily commute. The city now has 92.96 lakh registered vehicles, with nearly 1,500 new vehicles added daily.

Addressing a joint stakeholder meeting at Ravindra Bharathi, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said road safety and child protection would be enforced with a "zero tolerance" approach. The city has recorded 1,604 road accidents between January and May this year, including 128 victims below 18 years of age.

Police revealed that 2,539 cases of minor driving were booked during the same period, while 719 vehicle registrations were suspended. Parents allowing minors to drive could face imprisonment of up to three years and fines up to Rs.25,000. Further, police revealed that 316 of 1,014 school drivers screened during special medical camps were found to have vision-related issues.

School managements have been directed to maintain student transport databases, deploy traffic marshals, install CCTV cameras, monitor overcrowded autos, and ensure strict compliance with school transport norms.

A recent survey exposed major safety gaps around schools, with 80% lacking school-zone sign boards, 90% without speed-limit boards, and 70% without zebra crossings or designated pick-up and drop-off areas.

Officials from the Transport Department, GHMC and UNICEF stressed the need for safer school zones, better infrastructure and greater parental responsibility. Sajjanar urged the schools to make student safety a key performance indicator alongside academic excellence. "Every child must leave home for school and return safely", the Commissioner noted.