Tragedy spurs campaign for safe travel to school

THE death of seven schoolchildren and the driver of their Toyota Innova in a horrific road accident on May 7 has become a watershed moment for Samana in Patiala district. The town, which has a large population of the affluent Baniya community, is now at the centre of a campaign for safer road travel and ensuring strictly regulated transportation facilities for the students.

With Samana lacking in quality school education facilities, parents have for long confronted the issue of the unsafe long commute to Patiala. The residents had formed the Aggarwal Dharamshala School Parbandhak Committee 20 years ago following accidents involving vehicles ferrying students. The recent tragedy, though, has shaken the town to its core. There’s been a collective response — ‘No more’.

Seven children aged between six and 12 years, four siblings among them, had died in the accident. The driver of the Innova was among the deceased. While five kids and the driver died on the spot, two succumbed to injuries in the hospital, after the Innova ferrying them collided head-on with an over-speeding sand-laden tipper truck near Nassupur — a stretch now dubbed as a “killer road”.

The accident site, part of the congested State Highway 10 (Patiala-Patran-Moonak Road), has had a reputation for being accident-prone, but the Transport Department had taken no concrete action until now.

Once the cremation and prayer meetings got over, residents gathered at Aggarwal Dharamshala, where a resolution was passed to ban the use of private makeshift vehicles for transporting schoolchildren. The community also pledged to pool in resources to hire school buses adhering to safety norms, marking a significant shift in local attitudes toward student safety.

Dr Madan Mittal, president of the Aggarwal Dharamshala School Parbandhak Committee, said proposals have been invited for both 50-seater and 20-seater buses to meet the needs of the town’s students. “Over 600 students commute daily to Patiala, covering around 60 km. We are exploring all viable but safe options,” he added.

In the aftermath of the accident, the authorities launched a sweeping crackdown. Over 150 autorickshaws and vehicles have been challaned since May 7 for ferrying students without proper documentation or for violating safety norms. The Education Department has also directed schools to submit details of student transport arrangements.

The enforcement, as expected, has stirred unrest. Last Thursday, school auto and tempo drivers staged protests, claiming that while they were being penalised for not having permits, schools were unwilling to issue them the necessary documents. “We are being made scapegoats,” said Khushwant Sharma of the local transport association.

Tipper Truck Menace

Investigations into the accident revealed alarming lapses. The seven-seater Innova was carrying 13 children, nearly double the capacity. The deceased driver had previously been challaned for overspeeding in Chandigarh. The tipper truck that collided with the Innova also had multiple violations: its fitness certificate had expired in January 2024, pollution certificate in July 2023, and it had a pending challan in Haryana since 2022.

State Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh said the government had ordered the installation of speed governors in tipper trucks and instructed the police to use speed guns to penalise reckless driving. “These trucks are not emergency vehicles and must not be allowed to speed. Similarly, instructions have been issued to strictly implement safety guidelines, and the responsibility of the schools in ferrying students should also be fixed,” he said. How effective the Minister’s word is, would be closely watched.

The public outcry has also led to political intervention. Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi has sought an urgent meeting with Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to press for four-laning of the Patiala-Patran-Moonak highway. In an official communication, Dr Gandhi emphasised the urgency of upgrading the dangerously narrow road, noting that forest land on both sides would make expansion feasible.

Former Patiala MP Preneet Kaur has demanded stricter action against negligent tipper drivers and has also met Gadkari.

Divided Town, United resolve

While the incident has united the town in grief, it has also sparked a debate on the necessity of long student commutes. Malika Bansal, a parent, explains the town’s dilemma: “A section of residents feels the students should study in local schools. They term the idea of students going to Patiala for basic schooling completely pointless. The 60-km commute increases the risk of accidents.”

Many others believe that educational institutions in Patiala provide better opportunities for upward mobility of children belonging to the small town.

While their opinions remain divided, the town’s residents are united in their determination to never let such a tragedy happen again. A quiet but powerful transformation has begun in Samana — one that seeks not only accountability, but a lasting change. It’s a campaign worth emulating.