Hyderabad: Despite city traffic police issuing guidelines for the safety precautions for carrying school children, many auto drivers are risking the lives of students by ferrying more than the permissible numbers.
With schools reopened for the new academic year, auto rickshaws overloaded with students have made their comeback onto the city roads. For the last two weeks, the Hyderabad city police have strictly dissuaded parents from sending their kids to school in crammed auto-rickshaws and warned school management that they will be held responsible for safety lapses within 200 metres of school premises.
In several key intersections throughout the city, auto rickshaws were observed transporting students beyond the allowed limit. In locations such as Abids, King Kothi, Tolichowki, Malakpet, LB Nagar, Uppal, Khairtabad, Somajiguda, Secunderabad, and other neighborhoods, these autos were crowded with over 5 children.
It has been observed that as the traffic signal at Uppal junction turned red, an auto driver asked two school students to get off the vehicle fearing a challan for carrying more than the permitted numbers of passengers and boarded them again after crossing the signal. Such incidents by the auto drivers were witnessed in various major junctions across the city.
Asif Hussain Sohail, the president of the Telangana Parents Association for Child Rights and Safety (TPACRS), expressed that the exorbitant fees charged by private school buses leave parents with no choice but to opt sending their children to school in auto rickshaws. “But the parents must ensure that their children are transported safely to and from school.
They should also be vigilant and strict about auto drivers who carry more children than permitted.” This responsibility extends to the enforcement department, which needs to take action to curb the disturbances caused by auto drivers.
Additionally, a representation was made to the Additional Commissioner of Traffic urging them to launch a special initiative against auto rickshaw drivers who transport 6 to 10 children,” stated Asif Hussain.
As per the Hyderabad City traffic police, the rules allow a maximum of 5 children up to the age of 14 years while in case of adults, it is 3 passengers in an autorickshaw. However, autos in the city ferry 6 to 12 children, with a child sitting near the driver’s seat, school and lunch bags hanging outside the vehicle and bags placed on the top of the vehicles.
Kamble Shekar, a commuter at Nampally, said “Their bags are hung to the hooks at the sides that pose threat to other commuters, especially during peak traffic hours. Thus, the drivers by overloading children not only endanger the lives of the children, but also of other road users.”
Meanwhile, Lubna Nayeem, a resident of Tolichowki, said, “For many years, autos have been transporting students from our neighborhood, and we feel very secure with this setup since the drivers are trustworthy. Fortunately, the auto my son takes is not overcrowded, especially when he gets on at our home. Therefore, I do not have much to worry about.”
Recently, the police also held meetings with school managements and explained the do’s and don’ts 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.
The traffic police also urged parents not to allow their children to travel in a vehicle with more than the maximum number of seats.
