A year-long pilot project aimed at enhancing road safety in school zones has highlighted significant deficiencies in basic infrastructure around municipal schools in Mumbai’s Andheri area.
The initiative, titled ‘Strengthening Road Safety for Children and Adolescents’, was implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CACR) across schools in the K-East Ward of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), with support from the BMC’s Education Department. The programme, conducted from February 2025 to March 2026, sought to raise awareness among students, teachers, and communities while identifying areas that needed improvement to ensure safer school environments.
A total of 94 students were trained as ‘road safety messengers’, and 57 teachers became ‘road safety ambassadors’, reaching 2,609 students across 34 municipal schools.
A School Road Safety Audit conducted in August 2025 revealed critical gaps, including missing or unclear “School Zone” signboards, speed limit markers, and distance warning boards. Footpaths near schools were often damaged, encroached upon, or absent, forcing students to walk on roads. Additional concerns included traffic congestion during school hours, random parking near gates, and the lack of designated drop-off zones.
To address these issues, the programme adopted a participatory approach. Trained peer leaders conducted 180 sessions on road safety, while School Safety Committees were established in all 34 schools, holding 144 meetings to monitor concerns and coordinate interventions.
“Creating safer school environments and improving traffic management during arrival and dispersal hours are essential. The audit indicates that basic road safety infrastructure around many schools in K-East Ward is inadequate. It requires coordinated support from the traffic police and local authorities,” said Gorakhnath Bhavri, Administrative Officer (Schools), K-East Ward.
Officials reported visible improvements at some schools, such as Nityanand Municipal School, where speed breakers, zebra crossings, school zone signage, and separate entry-exit gates have been introduced. The programme also involved 965 community members, including auto-rickshaw unions and delivery partners, in road safety awareness. Organisers plan to expand the initiative across more Mumbai schools with regular monitoring and joint reviews with civic authorities.
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