Pune's children risk their safety every day just getting to school — Puneri Pages investigates why.
By Prashant for PuneriPages.in
Do you remember walking to school? That little taste of independence, the morning giggles with friends, the smell of fresh samosas from the corner stall as you passed by. For Pune’s children, that simple joy is slipping away. What was once a short, happy walk has turned into a nerve-wracking challenge. These days, the mere 500 meters from home to school can feel like running an obstacle course, except the obstacles are speeding cars, broken footpaths, and utter chaos. As parents, we are left asking: is it even possible for our kids to walk or cycle safely to school anymore?
Table of Contents
The Anatomy of an Unsafe Journey
1. The Hostile Footpaths
Footpaths should be the safest place for a child to walk. In Pune, they are anything but. Many are cracked, riddled with potholes, or missing altogether. In several school zones, they’re occupied by hawkers or choked with illegally parked bikes, forcing children to step off the curb directly into traffic. I saw it with my own eyes: kids hopping around puddles and weaving between scooters, all while cars whizzed past within arm’s reach.
2. The Myth of the Cycle Lane
We like to talk about cycling as a healthy, eco-friendly way to get to school. But where are the safe cycle lanes? Near schools, they’re practically non-existent. And the rare ones we do have? They double as parking spots for cars and two-wheelers, spitting cyclists right back into the madness of the main road.
3. The Danger at the Crossing
Crossings near schools are a game of chance. Zebra crossings are faded like ghostly memories, pedestrian lights don’t work, and traffic wardens are nowhere to be found. I stood at one crossing for ten minutes, and not a single driver stopped for the children trying to cross. Not one.
4. The Culture of Speed
In Pune, speed is king. Drivers barrel down roads with little regard for pedestrians, let alone children. The rules say speed limits should drop during school hours, but who’s enforcing them? Certainly not the people who should be.
Pune’s School Run Danger Zones
- Karve Road (Near Abhinav Vidyalaya) – No continuous footpath, high-speed vehicles all day.
- Koregaon Park (Near Bishop’s School) – Pavements eaten up by shops and parking, dangerous junctions with zero signage.
- Shanipar Peth (Near Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya) – Narrow lanes, parked vehicles pushing kids into the main road.
A Blueprint for Child-Friendly Streets
Safe Routes to School – Let’s adopt proven global models: uninterrupted, wide footpaths, protected cycle lanes, and speed limits capped at 30 km/h when kids are on their way to school.
Tactical Urbanism – We don’t need to wait for mega-projects. Simple, cheap fixes like bollards, bright paint for crossings, and temporary barricades can create safe zones almost overnight.
Walking Bus Initiatives – Groups of parents walking children to school together along safe routes. Safety in numbers, and a chance for kids to have fun on the way.
Official Apathy vs. Lived Reality
PMC and the traffic police will tell you they know about the problem. But from what I’ve seen, awareness hasn’t translated into action. Plans for pedestrian upgrades are gathering dust, and illegal parking and speeding are punished only in theory.
Conclusion: A Child Safety Crisis, Not a Traffic Problem
If a child in Pune can’t walk half a kilometer to school without dodging cars and potholes, that’s not just bad infrastructure – it’s a reflection of our city’s priorities. This is not a traffic problem. This is a child safety crisis. The real question isn’t whether we can fix it. It’s whether we care enough to do it.
About The Author
