Free bike rides for HSC students
The closure of Sion flyover on certain days for repair work has been causing problems not just for office-goers, but also for students who have to get to examination centres to appear for their HSC examinations. A group of youngsters from Sion have now taken it upon themselves to pick students up from railway stations or bus stops and drop them at their HSC examination centres on two-wheelers, to beat traffic snarls and enable them to reach the examination halls well in time.
A local group calling itself ‘Sion Friends Circle Team’, comprising working professionals and self-employed youth, has started the novel initiative to provide some relief to students amid the traffic chaos caused by the repair work being carried out on Sion flyover.
Speaking to The Free
Press Journal, one of the seven core members of the group, Ashok Kurmi, a production unit manager, said, “Since the Mumbai Traffic Police and the Maharashtra
State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) had began the repairs of the Sion flyover, necessitating closure of the bridge for at least four days a week, it was leading to major problems for students appearing for exams. At this point, our group came up with the idea of volunteering with free bike rides from railway stations in the eastern parts of Mumbai till their examination centres.”
Students appearing for their exams at new SIES College, old SIES College, Aryan College and Gauridutt Mittal College can avail the free bike rides offered by the group. Kurma said, for the initiative, all members of the group have roped in friends who use motorcycles and who have flexible working hours.
While on Tuesday, the first day of the HSC exams, eight volunteers turned up to help students, the second day saw a better response with over 15 bikers. “We received many calls from students who were running late for their exams. After that we have been maintaining a diary of students who enquire throughout the day, and their pick-up locations, times are confirmed by evening. The sole aim of using motorcycles is that they travel through small lanes and can easily cut through traffic,” Kurmi said.
The students were asked to meet the volunteers at nearby railway stations or bus stops, from where they would be picked up on twowheelers and dropped off at their examination centres.
The group also plans to offer similar rides to students appearing for their standard 10 board examinations if traffic problems persist in the area due to repair work on Sion flyover.
Apart from providing free drop services to HSC students, the group has also conducted classes to teach underprivileged students and assist with revision for subjects like Maths, Secretarial Practice and Organisation of Commerce (OC), a fortnight before the exams commenced.