School bus system gets rolling
Girls’ college approaches LCTSL for service. System to be feasible when more schools seek buses: Officials
LUCKNOW: The school bus system initiated by the Lucknow City Transport System Limited (LCTSL) got its first response from an all-girls’ college, which approached the transport body for a dedicated bus service for its students.
“The principal of Guru Nanak Girls’ College in Alambagh approached us for the service and we have agreed to their request,” said A Rehman, MD, LCTSL.
The college authorities wanted the women’s special bus to cater their students. As one such bus is already plying in the state capital, they wanted it to run as per their college timings. They also sought extending the service from its existing route - Engineering College-Charbagh to Engineering College-Alambagh from August 1.
“We have agreed to this as well and the bus will start from August 1, as the college wanted,” said Rehman.
LCTSL had decided to run dedicated buses for schoolchildren and offered such buses out of its existing fleet, if over 25 students get together to hire the bus service. The number of individual students who approached the LCTSL office was less than expected, but with an all-girls college seeking the bus service, officials hope things would pick up shortly.
“Parents must be apprehensive about a bus service and that’s obvious. But we can assure that once children start using our buses, they will not only be secure but parents will themselves endorse our services,” said Rehman.
At present, the school bus service is operational only on the IIM-Kendriya Vidyalay-Balaganj route, as maximum response came from this area only. The bus reaches Balaganj at 6.45 am and at 7.15 am on IIM-KV route. Similarly, it will start from IIMKV at 1.40 pm and reach Balaganj at 2.10 pm.
The officer said more buses for students would be plied after more registrations come in.
As per plan, the regular city buses will be deployed to ferry students and once the school trip is over, they shall ferry regular passengers as well.