G. Ravi, a volunteer regulating traffic during school hours near St Anthony's Anglo Indian High School at Harris Road in Egmore.
| Photo Credit: RAGU R
Four individuals put in a cameo every morning at Harris Road in Egmore as traffic assistants. These are not the government-recognised traffic wardens assisting the traffic police personnel on their beat, just parents seeking to streamline the flow of vehicles dropping off students at St. Anthony’s Anglo-Indian High School. Two of them see those machines through the in-gate and the other two see them off the campus, through the out-gate.This intervention is hardly recent, having been initiated by a parent 12 years ago. The parent in question Jayaseeman began regulating traffic around the school, as vehicles dropping off students were piling up on the road, partly because they were not allowed inside the campus, the decision shaped by the fact that back then the school had only one gate both for incoming and outgoing vehicles. After Jayaseeman’s son completed his schooling, the baton was passed to other parents, and the initiative has been kept humming to this day. Among those ensuring the exercise’s continuity are G. Ravi and A. Rajkumar, at this voluntary traffic beat for nine and 10 years respectively. Other notable parent volunteers are Rajila and Nagarani. Two years ago, when the management decided to create an additional gate, thereby having separate gates for incoming and outgoing vehicular traffic, these parents’ work eased. But then, the rush hour never ceases to be a challenge, throwing a curveball from a quarter least expected. Regular feedbackFor a long time, these parents had been operating with the constraint of regulating vehicles right on the road, as the management was apprehensive about letting vehicles inside. These parents persisted with the request that vehicles be allowed to roll into the campus. After that request was met, another constraint continued for a long time. The school had just one gate for entry and exit. For these parent volunteers, maintaining two separate lines for incoming and outgoing vehicles took some doing.With the campus sporting two gates over the last two years, the nature of responsibilities has changed for each volunteer. Ravi is parked right on the road, regulating vehicles of parents and general motorists. Rajkumar is posted at the gates to watch and direct the movement of parents’ vehicles. Rajila and Nagarani are at their post inside the campus, ensuring vehicles do not get “entangled” there. Ravi points out that while regulating traffic on the road, he has experienced close shaves with vehicles whizzing past, just a hair breadth’s distance away, and acrimonious outbursts from motorists that have been stopped for better movement of vehicles in and out of the campus. He shrugs it off as part of the work. Published - June 07, 2026 08:35 pm IST
