Beginning today, less cars are expected dropping students at Yangchenphug Higher Secondary School and Lungtenzampa Middle Secondary School, in the capital.
Thimphu Thromde and City Bus Service started providing city bus service to the students from today. The pilot project, which was to begin in April is a joint effort towards easing traffic congestion at the Lungtenzampa area.
Hundreds of cars ply in the morning rush hours to reach children to schools. However, the bus service initiative doesn’t require their parents to reach them to schools. Over 800 students from the two schools expressed their interest in using the bus service.
“I think this city bus service is very helpful as it reduces traffic and our parents don’t have to come here to drop us. So it’s convenient,” said a student of Yangchenphu HSS, Dechen Dolma.
Teachers also welcomed the initiative.
“It’s a great idea. We have 1,460 students in Yangchenphug, out of this, almost 500 registered for the city bus service facility. It is going to reduce the traffic congestion and students will be able to come on time to the school. Also in line with the safety of the children, because there are cases of hit and run. Recently one of our girl was hit by a car,” said Sita Pradhan, the Vice Principal of YHSS.
Thimphu Thrompon Kinlay Dorjee said decongesting traffic at the area has been a priority for the Thromde. Traffic congestion has become annoying for the students and motorists alike.
“The initiative was carried out mainly for Yangchenphug and Lungtenzampa looking at the congestion in the area between 8 to 8:30 in the morning. It is also for the safety of our children. The cars and students are all rushing together and there are high chances that accidents can happen. And it could cost life.”
Fourteen buses will carry the students from seven locations. The initiative is expected to give students easy access to better transport service.
“For students we have a special discount of 30 percent on the ticket. Therefore, the students have to avail the pre paid card depending on their choice of three months, six months or for about a year. So it will depend upon their affordability,” said the City Bus Service Director, Sonam Dendup.
And those children who have not registered for the service, private cars will not be allowed to pick and drop students from the school parking. They will have to walk from Changlimithang parking area. There are over 2,500 students in the two schools. Similar services will be introduced in other schools in Thimphu, if this initiative is successful.
