6,000 school kids to man traffic before schools

HYDERABAD: Clad in a colourful jacket with white trouser, red cap and white gloves, School Traffic Commandos will now monitor traffic snarls in front of their schools, while also learning traffic rules.During the current academic year, students from Class V to X had special classes on traffic rules and regulations, where specially-trained traffic police taught traffic lessons in selected schools in the twin cities. Now, as many as 6,000 students are all set to regulate traffic in front of their respective schools.“The training sessions for STCs have been completed successfully and they will soon monitor traffic snarls in front of their schools with assistance of traffic police,” said CV Anand, additional commissioner of police (Traffic). He added that from this academic year police will also distribute books related to traffic rules to students in private and government schools.  “We are planning to create awareness among students about traffic problems in the city through this programme," Anand said and added that more than 300 schools have resorted to staggered timings, deployment of one security guard for every 300 children, allowing vehicles into school compound to ease congestion outside and regular checking of school buses, as part of the drive to provide traffic safety to students.Speaking about the School Traffic Commandos, Anand said, “Schools will select 25 suitable students from Class VIII and IX to act as commandos, who will wear uniforms given by traffic police and regulate traffic in front of schools. “They will perform duties by coming half-an-hour early before school commences and regulate traffic till school rush is over.”  “The initiative will not only help us in checking traffic jams which regularly take place in front of schools but also help students understand traffic rules and regulations better,” Anand added.