Latest news with #SriKumaranChildren'sHome
Time of India
26-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Broken infrastructure: Bengaluru's traffic mayhem set to get worse when schools reopen
Bengaluru: With less than 10 days left for all schools to reopen, Bengaluru's more severe traffic nightmares are yet to arrive. The city is ill-prepared for the situation —roads dug up, pavements broken, potholes as big as craters, and drains ready to overflow. Schools are particularly concerned about potential traffic build-up near their premises, which will make daily school journeys challenging. Sri Kumaran Children's Home, Mallasandra, has written to its students' parents to directly write to the municipal or public works department. "A collective voice from the parent community may help highlight the urgency of the matter and prompt swifter action," the letter to the parents read. The school said it brought the matter to the govt authorities' attention and formally requested that the work be expedited. However, the private institution's role is limited to alerting them. "Parents have been writing to us about the condition of the roads not being good. Since it is not our domain, we sent a circular stating we raised this issue earlier. We also suggested that if they are keen and want to escalate, they could do it as a collective action," said Deepa Sridhar, secretary, Sri Kumaran Group of Institutions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The situation is set to worsen not just in the usual hotspots but also in the central business district, where traffic deviations are in place due to the ongoing white-topping work. There are at least 14 educational institutions in and around MG Road, Residency Road, Brigade Road, and St Mark's Road. With the schools set to reopen, nothing but more chaos is expected on the roads. "We are writing to all the parents explaining the situation. We have taken three BMTC buses more on lease to run as school buses. We are asking parents to make use of them and not bring the children in their cars. We are also encouraging higher classes to take Metro trains to reach the school," said Fr Sunil Fernandes, principal, St Joseph's Boys High School. Students, whose classes have started, are already going through the situation. Lasya Mohan Varma, a grade 11 student of Inventure Academy, recalled how some students ended up getting late for IGCSE board exams last week due to flooded roads. "The roads have been damaged quite badly. Half of Varthur-Sarjapur Road isn't even really usable because it's filled with so much water and slush that it's practically dirt and not road anymore. This has narrowed down the road, and the traffic moves in one lane rather than two lanes at one point. This has really slowed down the journey and made it a lot more uncomfortable," she said. The situation was the same in Oct last year when the school went online, with students losing valuable school hours. "Things will be worse in the coming days as all schools are reopening, and there will be hundreds of school buses plying on the roads," she said. The students are taking the initiative to get the attention of the authorities to the issue. "The roads are in a shambles as usual. They were dug for laying some pipes and just closed. As such, the road in front of our school is congested where it takes half an hour to move 200 metres. We are worried about it, particularly during rain," said M Srinivasan, founder chairman, Gear Innovative International. "Parents here are worried about the daily commute. It is an unwritten rule in our area that wherever the school bus gets stuck, the residents of the nearest apartment complex will give the children snacks or access to the bathroom. It is heart-wrenching to see children stuck. And the worry continues for next year. Whichever govt comes or goes, nothing has changed here," said Suresh Dhulipala, a resident of Skanda Moksh in Balegere. "School transport is unreliable, with vehicles often delayed or stranded due to potholes or waterlogged streets. Walking is equally risky, with no footpaths and heavy construction-related dust causing respiratory issues in children and the elderly," said another parent, Piyush Jaiswal, whose child takes more than an hour every day to reach the school 10 km away.
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru school's SOS over battered roads sparks outrage, Tejasvi Surya slams civic apathy
The worsening civic infrastructure in Bengaluru has now drawn concern from not just residents but also schools, with a prominent educational institution reaching out to parents over the deplorable condition of access roads. Amid ongoing civic woes, the Sri Kumaran Children's Home in south Bengaluru issued an official communication urging parents to raise their voice against the poor state of the road leading to the campus, which is reportedly waterlogged and damaged, causing daily hardship for students and staff alike. Also Read - Bengaluru Metro cancels extended services on May 23 as IPL match shifts to Lucknow due to expected rain In a letter addressed to parents, the school acknowledged their concerns and said, 'We fully understand the inconvenience caused by the current state of the road, and the impact it has on your children's commute. We have already raised the issue with the relevant government departments and formally requested that repairs be prioritised.' However, the school pointed out that as a private institution, its authority is limited. 'Construction and maintenance of public roads is the responsibility of civic bodies. While we continue to push for quicker resolution, we have no control over the pace or outcome of these works,' the letter added. The school encouraged parents to write directly to municipal agencies, noting that a unified effort from the community might push the authorities to act with urgency. The issue quickly gained political attention as Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya criticised the city's poor infrastructure under the Congress-led state government. Sharing the school's appeal, Surya posted on X, 'Under Congress, India's tech capital, Bengaluru, is crumbling. This is the condition of the road leading to Sri Kumaran Children's Home — a prominent school used by thousands of young children every day.' Also Read - Bengaluru airport's Terminal 2 gets 4000 sq feet 'Tiger Wall' built with 15,000 plants across 153 local species Highlighting the lack of response despite multiple appeals, Surya said the situation reflects the broader condition of Bengaluru's roads and the indifference of local authorities. 'The school had to go as far as requesting parents to approach officials directly in the hope that their voices might finally make a difference,' he wrote.
