The city police have issued a set of guidelines to ensure safety of children in the city during their morning and evening trips to and from school.
In a statement here, City Police Commissioner H. Venkatesh said parents and school managements would have to adhere to the guidelines, ranging from directions for parking to those for school-bus drivers, to ensure safety of their wards.
As per the guidelines, parking of vehicles on roadsides and footpaths near schools would be prohibited with strict action, including towing away of vehicles, to be initiated against those violating the rules. Drivers of vehicles that carried more than the permitted number of children, those driving at high speeds and recklessly, would have their driving licence and registration of the vehicle cancelled.
Drivers would face action if found talking on mobile phones while driving.
Lorries, tippers and other heavy vehicles would be prohibited from entering the city limits during school hours and rush hours. Those venturing into the city during these hours would be dealt with stringently, the Commissioner said, adding that regular inspections would be carried out to detect drivers driving in intoxicated conditions or after using prohibited drugs/substances.
Vehicles carrying school children would have to possess all necessary documents, including fitness certificates while school managements would have to ensure that the drivers were physically fit and with proper eyesight among other criteria for drivers.
The vehicles would also have to display phone numbers of the police, fire force and the disaster management cell.
Helpers would have to be present on all such vehicles, with extreme care to be taken while students got onto and alighted from the vehicles. The vehicles should also maintain a register with details of the students travelling on them, their parents, address, phone numbers and boarding/alighting points.
Private vehicles (autorickshaws, cars, vans) dropping children at schools would not be allowed to park on the school premises or surroundings.
Action would be taken against staff of private buses that refused to carry school students as well, the Commissioner said.
Complaints regarding these issues could be conveyed to the police over telephone numbers 0471-2558731, 2558732, 1099, 100, 94979 87001, 94979 87002, 94979 90005 and 94979 90006. Whatsapp messages could be sent to 97470 01099.
