HYDERABAD TRAFFIC POLICE ORGANIZES MEETING WITH SCHOOL MANAGEMENTS TO ENHANCE SAFETY OF SCHOOL CHILDREN

 Today i.e., on 19-06-2025, in a proactive step towards strengthening the safety and well-being of school-going children in Hyderabad, the Hyderabad Traffic Police organized a meeting with school managements. The initiative aims to ensure collective efforts among school authorities, parent committees, auto unions, and transport operators for the academic year 2025–2026.

Sri C.V. Anand, IPS, DG and Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City, attended this program as the Chief Guest. Among the dignitaries present at the meeting were Smt. Dasari Harichandana, IAS (Collector and District Magistrate, Hyderabad), Sri Gopal (Additional Commissioner, GHMC), Sri Ramesh (Joint Transport Commissioner), Sri Munisekhar (ED, RTC), Sri D. Madhukar Naik (CEO, Cantonment Board), Sri Rajasekhar Reddy (Secretary General, HCSC Traffic forum i/c), Sri Shekar Reddy (Secretary General, HCSC) Smt. R. Rohini (DEO), Sri Lingaiah (Additional Director, School Education), and other senior officials.

The main focus of the meeting was on improving the safety of students while traveling to and from schools. Discussions included the need for traffic management around schools, safe transport systems, and enhancing road safety awareness among all stakeholders. Topics such as vehicle permits, seating capacity, display of school names and numbers, driver experience, and presence of a female attendant in every school bus were addressed. Awareness programs were also initiated to prevent road accidents involving school children.

Smt. Rohini, DEO, stressed the importance of appointing lady attendants in school buses, maintaining bus fitness, and preventing driving under the influence. She urged schools and parents to instill traffic awareness among children.

Sri Lingaiah, Addl. Director of School Education, applauded the initiative and called for more such programs to promote transport safety awareness.

Smt. Dasari Harichandana, IAS,  Collector and District Magistrate, Hyderabad highlighted the urgent need to create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent road accidents involving school children. She urged schools to strictly adhere to G.O. Ms No. 187 (07-07-2017), and uphold the Right to Education Act for children aged 6–14.

Sri Munisekhar (ED, RTC), Sri Rajsekhar Reddy (Secretary, HCSC, Traffic Forum Incharge) expressed their support and appreciation for the initiative, reinforcing their commitment to child safety in school transportation.

Sri D. Joel Davis, IPS, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Hyderabad, speaking on the occasion, shared that over 9 million vehicles operate daily in Hyderabad, and only 3,000 personnel are available to manage the city’s traffic. He stated that 8 students have lost their lives in road accidents between 2023 and 2025. Special drone surveillance will soon be introduced near schools, and he emphasized that traffic regulation near school premises is the responsibility of the respective school managements. He advised schools to deploy their own security staff for traffic regulation.

He cautioned against overloading school vehicles and urged parents to also take accountability instead of leaving everything to the police. He recommended raising awareness among students about traffic signals and staggering school hours for primary and high schools to help reduce traffic congestion. He issued a stern warning that minors driving vehicles would lead to vehicle registrations being canceled and driving licenses being denied until they turn 25. So far, 766 vehicle registrations have been canceled for such violations.

Sri C.V. Anand, IPS, DG and Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, later addressed the gathering and said that this awareness program was organized in view of the reopening of schools and the importance of student safety. He stated that such awareness initiatives have been a regular tradition and congratulated the Joint Commissioner of Police and his team for organizing the event. He pointed out that security issues typically arise when schools reopen and must be addressed proactively. He mentioned that 8 students have died over the last three years due to negligence and emphasized that students must commute only in school buses and that school management must implement and maintain all safety measures. He also cautioned the school principals and managements will be held responsible for safety lapses within 200 meters of school premises.

He advised schools to install and maintain CCTV cameras around their premises as a basic safety standard. He warned drivers to be vigilant when students are boarding and alighting, as these are the most accident-prone moments. Even a single child’s death can bring a huge impact on a school, he said. Noting that some children travel in overloaded autos, he urged parents to monitor how many children are being taken in each auto.

He advised schools to ensure the presence of signboards in front of their premises and said that areas like Abids, Secunderabad, and Jubilee Hills face more traffic issues due to school clusters. He assured efforts to form special coordination teams in such areas, involving transportation and traffic personnel. He revealed that the city has 3,000 traffic police officers, but only 325 of the 650 major junctions can be manned due to manpower constraints. He also raised concerns about the presence of pan shops and juice centers near schools potentially being involved in the sale of narcotic substances. He called upon all stakeholders to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.

This programme was attended by Sri Rahul Hegde, IPS (DCP Traffic-I), Sri N. Ashok Kumar (DCP Traffic-II), and Sri R. Venkateshwarlu, IPS (DCP Traffic-III), along with Addl. DCsP, ACPs, Inspectors, and other traffic personnel. 

Hyderabad Traffic Police calls upon all school managements, parents, and transport stakeholders to join hands in making Hyderabad a model city for school children safety.