Srinagar: Days after a speeding school bus mowed down a herd of sheep along the Kunzar-Tangmarg road in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, complaints are pouring in from different areas of the Valley about reckless driving by school buses and vans. Parents and locals have urged both school administrations and traffic authorities to take urgent measures to ensure the safety of commuters and children.
A woman from Bemina area of Srinagar city told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that a school bus belonging to a reputed institution nearly ran her over near Hazratbal recently. “It missed me by a whisker. These buses move as if they own the road. If this continues, there will be more tragedies,” she said.
Parents of school-going children expressed alarm, saying that while the Kunzar accident exposed the immediate dangers to livestock and property, the bigger risk lies in the vulnerability of young passengers. “Children are still at risk if drivers continue to drive negligently. Speeding on busy routes regularly plied by school buses is a threat to every child and to everyone on the road,” said a parent from Srinagar.
Scores of locals alleged that school buses are notorious for overtaking other vehicles, ignoring traffic rules, and showing little regard for pedestrians. They argued that such practices have become routine and demanded greater accountability from both schools and traffic enforcement agencies.
“Buses ferrying schoolchildren should be examples of safe driving, not the most reckless ones on the road. Instead, they are often the first to overtake and the last to slow down,” remarked a trader.
Following the Kunzar-Tangmarg incident, in which nearly two dozen sheep and goats were killed after being hit by a speeding bus, calls for stringent monitoring of school transport have intensified. Traffic officials said they are reviewing complaints and will take strict action against violators.
Education activists have also pressed schools and bus operators to sensitise their drivers about road discipline. “Safety of children cannot be compromised. Schools must take responsibility and ensure their buses are operated by disciplined drivers with proper training,” said a Srinagar-based activist. [KNT]
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