All children do here is just wait and watch!

Over 200 school students in and around Ashok Nagar have a harrowing time getting home after school every day, as BMTC bus drivers chose to give the main bus stop a miss

Over 200 school students in and around Ashok Nagar have a harrowing time getting home after school every day, as BMTC bus drivers chose to give the main bus stop a miss

School students seem to be at the receiving end of never-ending traffic woes this academic year. First, it was the lapse in traffic control by the traffic cops outside schools, and now complaints about BMTC's arrogant behaviour towards school kids has come to light.


Stop it: The students gather at the bus stop at 3 pm every day, but the
BMTC buses passing by do not halt here. Pic/Sanjay MD

Long wait
The Mother Teresa Road at Ashok Nagar, where students over 200 students from about seven schools converge at the main bus stop, appears to be most affected. Students gather at the bus stop at 3 pm every day, but the BMTC buses, which are supposed to stop, do not. School authorities looked into the situation after students brought it to the notice of their respective school administrators.

"Schools re-opened two weeks ago and we wait at the bus stop each day hoping that at least one bus would stop. Sometimes our wait is futile even after an hour and we have to share an autorickshaw or walk all the way home. Our school has promised to take up the matter with the BMTC authorities," said Sapna Jain, a student of Sacred Hearts School.

Buses going towards Neelasandra, Adugodi, Annepalya, Austin Town, Vivek Nagar and Eijipura pass by this bus stop. School authorities in the area claim that they have urged the BMTC to sort out the matter immediately.
Prabha Devi, a teacher from a Telugu medium school in the vicinity said, "Out of frustration, many times students jump in front of buses to stop it. But the drivers are very brash and they just do not stop. We faced a similar problem last year and in spite of complaining many times, no action has been taken."

Breaching orders?
When contacted, BMTC authorities feigned ignorance about the matter. "We have given clear instructions to our drivers to halt at every bus stop. But some drivers play truant and break the rules. We will immediately take up the matter and conduct checks at the bus stop," said Shamala, assistant traffic manager, BMTC. Meanwhile, all the school authorities from the vicinity are planning to petition the BMTC office to sort the matter immediately.