Pune: A workshop on ‘Safe Commute to Schools’ was organized by Parisar and the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) on March 29, 2025, at the Bharat Itihaas Sanshodhak Mandal, Sadashiv Peth, Pune. The event saw participation from school representatives, teachers, parents, and officials to discuss the challenges and solutions for ensuring safer travel for schoolchildren.
The workshop opened with a session on the School Travel Improvement Plan (STIP) Guidelines, published by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in 2023. STIP aims to provide safe access to schools and promote a modal shift from private vehicles to public transport and non-motorized transport.
However, despite the initiative, poor infrastructure remains a major hurdle for safe school travel. Issues such as encroached footpaths, lack of cycle tracks, unregulated traffic around school zones, inadequate pedestrian crossings, and poor last-mile connectivity continue to endanger students’ safety.
PMC has allocated ₹50 lakh for STIP in the 2025-26 budget. Speaking at the workshop, urban designer Abhijit Kondhalkar emphasized the need for investing these funds in long-term infrastructure improvements.
“While the budget allocation for STIP is a positive step, it is crucial that these funds are utilized for civil infrastructure such as walkable footpaths, safe junctions, shaded streets, and dedicated cycle tracks. Investing in durable and accessible infrastructure ensures long-term solutions for students' safety.” – Abhijit Kondhalkar, Urban Designer
Call for Better Implementation of STIP
During the workshop, participants endorsed a letter demanding better implementation of STIP across more schools in Pune, which will be sent to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). However, no PMC officials attended the workshop.
On the other hand, Bapu Gaikwad, City Engineer, Mobility Department, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), shared insights from PCMC’s experience in implementing a safe school programme, offering valuable learning for Pune’s initiative.
Panel Discussion on ‘Cycle Bus’ for Safer School Commute
A key highlight of the event was a panel discussion on the ‘Cycle Bus’ initiative, an innovative concept to encourage children to cycle to school safely. The panel featured:
Arjit Soni, Founder & Director, MyByk, Ahmedabad
Prakash P. Gopinath, Bicycle Mayor, Trivandrum
Harshad Abhyankar, Save Pune Traffic Movement, Pune
These experts, who have successfully implemented the Cycle Bus concept in different cities, discussed challenges and solutions for its implementation in Pune.
Faraskhana Police Inspector, Maruti Patil, attended the workshop and shared insights on the police department’s initiatives to ensure safer roads for children and commuters.
Schools Identify Key Issues and Solutions
In the final session, schools discussed the major challenges students face while commuting and explored possible solutions involving different stakeholders. Some of these solutions will be implemented in selected schools this year to enhance the safety of school commutes.