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Mumbai School Road Safety Pilot Finds Major Gaps, Moves Toward Citywide Rollout

Officials call for coordinated support from traffic police alongside local authorities to sustain fixes.

Overview

  • The UNICEF and CACR programme ran from February 2025 to March 2026 across 34 BMC K-East Ward schools, reaching 2,609 students.
  • An August 2025 audit documented missing or poorly visible school-zone and speed-limit signage, damaged or encroached footpaths, random parking near gates, heavy congestion at bell times, and a lack of drop-off zones.
  • The initiative trained 94 student ‘Road Safety Messengers’ and 57 teacher ‘Road Safety Ambassadors’, with 180 peer sessions held and School Safety Committees meeting 144 times.
  • Community outreach sensitised about 965 people, including auto-rickshaw unions and delivery partners, to promote safer practices around schools.
  • Early fixes are visible at Nityanand Municipal School near the Western Express Highway, where speed breakers, zebra crossings, school-zone signs, and separate entry and exit gates were installed, and organisers now plan periodic monitoring and joint reviews as the model expands.