Hyderabad, June 24: Is it the failure of the GHMC officials to construct a speedbreaker and mark zebra crossings at the Uppal crossroads that has led to the death of two Kendriya Vidyalaya students, Akhila and Srinithya in an accident there on Monday evening? Authorities of the Kendriya Vidyalaya- 1 allege that despite several representations to the deputy commissioner of Uppal circle for speedbreakers and zebra crossing marks on the main road and the ring road, in view of the safety of school students, no action has been initiated.
Copies of letters written by the KV on January 28, 2010 and September 9, 2009 are with Expresso.
A van jumped the signal at the Uppal crossroads and hit the pedestrians crossing the road resulting in the death of the two girls. They were returning home after the school on the first day of reopening.
“In the past there were accidents involving the students of KV besides the general public. The apprehension of the Management committee of this Vidyalaya is safety of students of KV 1, Uppal, who are crossing the Uppal ring road during the peak hours ( that is 8.30 a.m in the morning and 2.40 pm in the evening on all the working days of the school),” B Nagarajan, additional surveyor general, Survey of India and chairman of Vidyalaya committee said in one of the letters.
The mishap was waiting to happen as the GHMC officials failed to respond even six months after the request was made.
Parents, on the other hand, said that the school management was equally resposible for the tragedy.
Safety aspect had been discussed at many parent-teacher meetings but without any avail, some parents alleged.
“Many parents of KV are extremely unhappy about the lack of interest shown by the school authorities towards safety of students,” they said. Meanwhile, it is learnt that many parents staged a demonstration in front of the school and criticised the school authorities for the accident. They demanded construction of a road over bridge (RoB) near the school immediately.
Malkajgiri assistant commissioner of police PV Padmaja also felt that the school authorities could not escape the blame for the accident.
–Agencies–