School pick-ups, drops in Kilpauk cause traffic jam on key city roads

CHENNAI: A cluster of prominent private schools located within a 5-km stretch in and around Kilpauk, especially along the Kilpauk Garden Road, Taylor’s Road, Ormes Road and Barnaby Road are now the epicentre of daily traffic logjams during school hours, leaving regular commuters and residents stranded.

Vehicles from Anna Nagar or New Avadi Road towards Purasawalkam or Nungambakkam in the morning or afternoon have to cross Kilpauk Garden Road, which is already crammed by school pick-ups and drop-offs.

Then bump into Balfour Road, where Metro Rail construction has further narrowed the road. Taking a right from there into Ormes Road brings commuters into the next wave of school-zone congestion. Try to take Halls Road for an alternate route? Taylors Road awaits with bumper-to-bumper traffic near school gates.

At the core of the problem lies the lack of proper pick-up and drop infrastructure. Most schools lack sufficient campus space to accommodate vehicles, forcing parents and autos to occupy both sides of the road. “It’s like first-come, leave-early,” said an auto rickshaw driver, who has been ferrying children from Kilpauk Garden Road for 8 years.

A parent added, “My children come out at 2.45 pm, but I reach by 2 pm to park. We can’t move till the whole first batch clears.”

Violations are rampant. There are always cars parked right under ‘No Parking’ signs, two-wheelers carry multiple children and share-autos are crammed beyond legal limits. Traffic police are posted near each school during peak hours, but officials say they are overstretched. “The priority is to clear congestion and ensure children cross the road safely,” said an officer on the ground.

A resident living opposite to one of the schools on Taylor’s Road described the situation: “Most drivers of private cars arrive two hours earlier. They park outside and hang out. The school ends at 2.45 pm, but we cannot take our vehicle until then. The road is literally not commutable during peak hours.”

Schools typically disperse in two shifts: one for students up to Class 5 around 2.45 pm, and another at 3.30 pm. So, the window of 2.30-3.30 pm remains ‘peak congestion time’. Some schools have placed volunteers at the gate to manage traffic and pedestrian safety.

“We’re in the process of creating designated parking areas,” said a representative from one school. However, this is not the case across the board. Being upscale schools, only one among the four offers van or bus transport. The rest rely on private pickups.

“A seven-seater SUV often comes to pick just one child. Parents must consider carpooling,” the traffic official added.

However, parents argue it’s not so simple. “I have two kids and my house is 12 km away. Do you know how much these schools charge if they offer such service? Either schools provide parking or the city should improve access,” opined a parent waiting near Barnaby Road.

ACP Bhaskar from the Traffic Planning Wing confirmed that the department was studying ways to redesign infrastructure around these schools. “We already have the traffic volunteer initiatives and school safety zones. We’re now examining more ways for safe dispersal, parking management and long-term congestion relief,” he explained