Overloaded autos pose threat to schoolkids

Patiala, April 7

A road accident that took place on the Patiala-Sirhind road yesterday has raised a question mark on the safe transportation of students to schools and back home. A child was left with a broken hip while three other children and the auto-driver suffered injuries in the mishap between a three-wheeler and a car.

The schoolkids in the city continue to commute via overloaded three-wheelers lacking registration.

As per eyewitnesses, the auto-rickshaw ferrying four children to a local school was being driven on the wrong side of the road, which apparently became the reason for the accident yesterday.

Meanwhile, city residents questioned the implementation of the Safe School Vahan Scheme. A resident said, “Despite the state government’s scheme aimed at proper transportation of schoolchildren to and back from schools, the schoolgoers continue to commute in overloaded auto-rickshaws. A number of accidents have occurred, causing injuries to students, but the district administration has failed to take strict action against the misuse and violation.”

Residents said the auto-rickshaws in the often violated road rules and there was not check on the violations. “Documents of the auto-rickshaws being run on the city roads should be checked as many of these ply without proper pollution under control norms and continue to flout other rules. Apart from the schoolchildren, residents commute via these auto-rickshaws amid a lack of public transport system in the city,” a resident said.

District Child Protection officer Shaina Kapoor said, “Parents send their children in auto-rickshaws as they are cheaper. But we will now hold a meeting with police officials and the Transport Department regarding the matter. We have been keeping a check on violation of norms by buses being used to ferry children. We will now run a programme to check the use of overloaded auto-rickshaws for the purpose as well.”