Can’t allow traffic jams that completely disrupt life!

A school bus stuck in traffic

The impact of Metro construction and the breakdown of a heavy vehicle on the Kalyan-Shilphata Road, caused a traffic jam and disrupted school operations on Wednesday. This is not just a one-off incident. The construction work has led to frequent and prolonged traffic jams.

A school in the vicinity has borne the brunt of these disruptions. Traffic congestion thanks to construction has been so severe that the school had to make the difficult decision to stop its afternoon session. This decision was necessitated because the school buses were unable to return on time to pick up children from the morning session due to the gridlock caused by the jams.

Such disruptions are not just an inconvenience but impact the school's smooth functioning, said the report. While a senior police officer cited a truck breakdown narrowing the road further, which has already been compromised due to ongoing Metro work, it is vital that a macro view is taken of the problems on this road.

Since the school operates in a number of sessions, there is a domino effect in case school buses are unable to come in on time for the first session, the entire schedule is affected.

Traffic administration will now have to look at some alternative routes, including stopping heavy vehicles, except school buses, if possible, on this road. This is easier said than done, yet, a comprehensive plan must be in place. Even if some restricted timings can be imposed it may prove beneficial. A robust traffic police presence will also be helpful to manage and guide traffic. There are a substantial amount of roads in the city, with these problems, thanks to ongoing infra work.

Yet, the fact that a school has had to cancel a session means this has escalated to serious proportions and needs an informed, expert solution. We can also conjecture that emergency vehicles will have a tough time accessing this stretch if the need arises.