DoE tells Delhi schools to act against honking

The Directorate of Education (DoE) has directed all schools in Delhi to take strict action against illegal parking and unnecessary honking near their premises. The order was issued after the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) highlighted concerns about increasing noise levels and congestion outside school buildings in a letter to civic agencies, including DoE, and issued guidelines.

The order asks all government, government-aided, and private unaided recognised schools to comply with the new guidelines, which include preparing an awareness plan in schools about silence zones, and for school principals to send letters to SHOs to control illegal parking and unnecessary honking.

“All deputy directors of education (DDEs) at the district and zonal levels have been asked to inform school heads and ensure compliance with these measures,” said Dr CS Verma, deputy director of education (science) in the DoE order. The order underlined the urgency of controlling vehicular chaos in school zones.

Officials said the initiative is part of a larger effort to promote a healthier and safer learning environment. “Traffic congestion outside schools has been a long-standing issue, with frequent complaints from parents and residents about vehicles blocking gates and causing excessive honking,” a DoE official said.

Jyoti Arora, principal, Mount Abu School in Rohini, said that illegal parking and honking around school premises is a longstanding problem in Delhi. “We are fighting a court case regarding an illegal auto stand near one of our schools,” she said, adding that the morning traffic situation in front of the school is worse. “We have informed authorities, sensitised our security guards, put up sign boards and sought administration help, but the situation is not improving,” she added. She said that e-rickshaws and street vendors add pressure to the already congested roads.

Aprajita Gautam, president, Delhi Parents’ Association, said schools may face challenges in implementing the order as most of them are located in traffic zones. “To mitigate this, parents should take responsibility and minimise horn use. Schools should issue guidelines for their transportation services and install no-honking boards in their surrounding areas,” she said. She said that schools should ensure that staff vehicles are parked inside school premises or in designated parking areas to prevent illegal parking and reduce congestion. “The traffic department should take steps to prevent illegal parking and ensure a smoother traffic flow,” she said.