SHILLONG, April 9: The prominent schools in heavily-congested Laitumkhrah and Dhankheti areas of Shillong have welcomed the idea of carpool and bus service for students but they insisted on proper coordination to make it a success.
Br. Solomon Morris, principal of St. Edmund’s School, said carpool is a good idea if there is proper coordination. He said the success of it depends on how the parents coordinate and how the logistics are organised.
The person, whose car will be used, will have to make sure the other children, to be picked up, are ready, he said, adding carpool will reduce the number of cars on the road.
Sister Mercia D’Souza, principal of Loreto Convent Shillong, said the introduction of buses and carpool will be useful if the stakeholders come together. It can be a success if the students of each school decide to carpool, she said.
She added that as the implementation of the idea depends largely on the parents, they need to be consulted.
The state government has announced the introduction of 100 mini school buses. It has also stressed on the concept of carpool.
Traffic congestion is a serious problem in Shillong, especially during school hours, when the parents take out their cars and two-wheelers to drop their children at schools.
A similar idea could not materialise earlier due to the apprehension of parents about the safety of their children.