Morcha protest stone’s throw away, testing times for pupils of 2 schools
Mohali, February 15
Studies and daily commute have taken a hit for students of two schools located in the vicinity of the Shaheed Lt Col Bikramjeet Singh Chowk, also known as YPS Chowk, the ground zero of ongoing protest by the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha seeking release of “Bandi Singhs”.
Get stuck in jams
Traffic congestion has increased at YPS Chowk and it takes 10-15 minutes to find one’s way through. Also, noise from loudspeakers is causing trouble to studentsRs — A parent of a Class XII student
Keep class windows shut
Most of the time, we keep windows of classes shut to reduce noise. We urge morcha leaders to keep use of loudspeakers in check as it is a crucial time for studentsRs — A school management member
The approach road to Yadavindra Public School and Lawrence Public School is full of parked vehicles, tents and pedestrians, obstructing the way of nearly 4,000 students studying in these educational institutions.
The road remains clogged with cars, two-wheelers, pedestrians and school buses during the morning (8 am) and afternoon hours (after 1 pm). Blaring loudspeakers, constant honking and hustle and bustle compound the students’ problem.
Parents say it has become a daily hassle dropping off their kids at school using the stretch. “With ISC Class XII exams already on and those of CBSE Class X beginning on March 1, it will be a challenge for everyone here,” says a parent of one of the students.
With loudspeakers blaring for most part of the day, students in classes located on the top floor of these institutions find it hard to concentrate on studies. “Most of the time, we keep the windows shut to reduce noise. We urge the morcha leaders to be considerate and keep use of loudspeakers in check as it is a crucial time of the year for students,” says a school management member. The school authorities say some children have complained about noise affecting their concentration during exams.
“Traffic congestion has increased at the rotary and it takes 10-15 minutes to find one’s way through. But it is the noise emanating from loudspeakers that is causing more trouble to students,” says a parent of a Class XII student.
The school authorities have communicated their problem to the district administration, police and morcha leaders. “There was a traffic issue with one of the schools on the first two days of the protest, which was resolved after the school authorities discussed it with the protesters and they readily resolved it,” says the school management member.
Some of the Sector 51 residents, living in the vicinity of the protest site, too have expressed their uneasiness about rampant use of loudspeakers from morning till evening.
