Hyderabad: Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar unveiled a School safety plan with a zero-tolerance approach to protect children during their daily commute amid rising traffic and road safety concerns in the city.
Addressing a joint stakeholder meeting at Ravindra Bharathi on Friday, Sajjanar said Hyderabad now has 92.96 lakh registered vehicles, with nearly 1,500 new vehicles added every day. He noted that the city recorded 1,604 road accidents between January and May this year, including 128 victims below 18 years of age.
Police booked 2,539 cases of minor driving during the period. In addition, authorities suspended 719 vehicle registrations. Sajjanar warned that parents who allow minors to drive could face imprisonment of up to three years and fines of up to ₹25,000.
The Commissioner said student safety would remain a top priority. Therefore, police would strictly enforce road safety regulations around educational institutions.
School safety plan focuses on transport compliance
Police directed school managements to maintain transport databases, deploy traffic marshals and install CCTV cameras. Moreover, schools must monitor overcrowded autos and ensure full compliance with transport regulations.
Officials also revealed that 316 of the 1,014 school drivers screened during special medical camps had vision-related issues. Consequently, authorities stressed the need for regular health checks and stricter monitoring of drivers.
A recent survey highlighted major infrastructure gaps around schools. Around 80% of schools lacked school-zone signboards, while 90% had no speed-limit boards. Furthermore, nearly 70% did not have zebra crossings or designated pick-up and drop-off points.
Officials from the Transport Department, GHMC and UNICEF called for safer school zones, improved infrastructure and greater parental responsibility. Sajjanar urged schools to treat student safety as a key performance indicator alongside academic excellence. He said every child should travel to school and return home safely every day.
