Parents raise alarm over reckless driving near Chirec School in Kondapur

Hyderabad: How safe are school zones in Hyderabad? How many of them are following traffic rules? Are our children safe going to school?

Hyderabad parents are increasingly worried about the safety of school zones due to frequent traffic violations. Many question whether their children are truly safe while commuting to school.

One area of concern is Botanical Garden Road in Kondapur, where Chirec International School is located. Parents spoke to NewsMeter to report reckless driving, particularly by auto-rickshaws, as a major issue.

Rising Violations in School Zones

Speed limits in school zones are set at 30 km/h, but many drivers exceed this limit, putting students—especially those who walk or cycle—at risk.

A parent shared his daily struggles with traffic violations near the school with NewsMeter: “Every day, I drop my children at school, and the violations I witness—especially from auto-rickshaws—are alarming. Many vehicles, drive in the wrong direction to avoid U-turns. If questioned, they respond rudely. Even school security doesn’t regulate the traffic. It's only a matter of time before an accident happens, endangering children’s lives,” he said.

On March 18, he faced an incident when an auto driver, driving in the wrong direction, refused to acknowledge the mistake and responded rudely before driving away.

Driving the Wrong Way to Avoid U-Turns

“Despite the presence of a U-turn near the school, many motorists choose to drive in the wrong direction, creating chaos and increasing the risk of accidents. We believe stricter enforcement is needed to ensure the safety of children in school zones,” said one of the parents (name withheld on condition of anonymity).

Cops Ask for Suggestions From Parents

Speaking to NewsMeter, Kandula Satyanarayana, ACP traffic, Madhapur said, “This is a very busy area and have heard of traffic violations. Parents should go inside the school and drop off the children to ensure their safety. We also have to keep check of the traffic violations. We would also accept the suggestions from the parents to avoid such violations near schools and can be implemented immediately. Also, we are ready to bring awareness campaign among the public, if the school management and parents support us.”

The police have urged motorists to follow traffic rules and avoid reckless practices like wrong-side driving, which pose serious threats to public safety.