12 hours ago
CV Anand calls upon school mgmts, parents to join hands in ensuring student safety
Hyderabad: In a proactive step towards strengthening the safety and well-being of school children in the city, Hyderabad City Police cautioned against overloading school vehicles and urged parents to also take accountability instead of leaving everything to the police. Police cautioned that school principals and management will be held responsible for safety lapses within 200 metres of school premises. This comes after five school bus drivers were caught driving under the influence of alcohol in the city on Wednesday.
Hyderabad City Police Commissioner CV Anand on Thursday, during a meeting with school managements, parent committees, auto unions, and transport operators, pointed out that security issues typically arise when schools reopen and must be addressed proactively. He mentioned that eight students have died over the last three years due to negligence and emphasised that students must commute only in school buses and that school management must implement and maintain all safety measures.
The meeting, held at Ravindra Bharathi, focused on improving the safety of students. Discussions included the need for traffic management around schools, safe transport systems, and enhancing road safety awareness among all stakeholders. Additionally, topics such as vehicle permits, seating capacity, display of school names and numbers, driver experience, and the presence of a female attendant in every school bus were addressed.
CV Anand, who chaired the meeting, advised schools to install CCTV cameras around their premises. 'Drivers should be vigilant when students are boarding and alighting, as these are the most accident-prone moments. Even a single child's death can have a huge impact on a school,' he stated. He advised schools to ensure the presence of signboards in front of their premises and stated that areas like Abids, Secunderabad, and Jubilee Hills face more traffic issues due to school clusters.
He assured efforts to form special coordination teams in such areas, involving transportation and traffic personnel. Dasari Hari Chandana, Hyderabad District Collector, highlighted the urgent need to create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent road accidents involving school children. She urged schools to strictly adhere to guidelines and uphold the Right to Education Act for children aged six to 14.
