A four-seat autorickshaw is stranded at the busy Income Tax roundabout. At least seven schoolchildren occupy the back seat. Two more are seated in front. The after effects of a hectic day at school are visible on their faces. Their school bags are hanging out of the vehicle. Finally, a traffic policeman gives the signal. The autorickshaw starts with a jerk. One of the children almost falls.

Christ Church Diocesan School gets over. Students rush out. Around 50 autorickshaws are waiting in the school’s courtyard. They easily outnumber the two minibuses that operate as school buses. The autorickshaws are crammed. The school bags are hung from hooks. The dangerous journey back home starts…

Students of almost all reputed city schools are treated like the over-stuffed bags they carry in three-wheelers. They are crammed into overcrowded autorickshaws on their way to and from the educational institutions.

As most schools in the city do not have proper facilities to transport students, parents are forced to leave their children at the mercy of autorickshaw drivers, who overload their vehicles before hitting the streets where potholes are a dime a dozen and accidents are common. School authorities and district administration officials refuse to comment on why this dangerous practice is being allowed. In the absence of any regulations, autorickshaw drivers are raking in the danger.

“What can we do? We live in the Alamganj area of Patna City. The school bus does not go there. So, a few other parents and I booked an autorickshaw that transports our children to school,” said a parent of a student of Christ Church Diocesan School.

He added: “Do we have a choice? The school should provide transport. But even if they don’t, children will have to go to school.”

On any given day, the school in Kargil Chowk is chock-a-block with autorickshaws. The school authorities, however, refused to comment on this.

“The principal is not here. I cannot tell you anything,” an official of the school said over telephone.

Children are only too well aware of the risk they face everyday.

“What to do? There is no bus. It is so uncomfortable, especially in summer. When the autorickshaw gets stuck in a jam, we gasp for breath. A few days ago, it was so stuffy that I puked,” Nandini, a school student, told The Telegraph.

At present, there are only two schools in Patna that provide transport facility to cent per cent students — Delhi Public School and Radiant International School.

C.B. Singh, the director of Radiant International School, said: “We have 30 buses that ferry the children. None of our students come or go by autorickshaws. It is a sorry state of affairs. I have seen children fall out of autorickshaws on the road. The drivers just pick them up and shove them into the vehicle before moving on. How can any school claim it is not their responsibility?”

Autorickshaws are not the only option for parents, though. Sometimes they are forced to pool-in and hire a private bus to take their children to school.

“At times, parents get together and hire a bus to take their wards to school. This is common in many schools,” said a parent whose son studies in St Xavier’s High School.

He added: “Schools also do the same — they get private operators to provide school buses for students. But they often do not cover all areas of Patna. So we are forced to hire autorickshaws.”

The distraught parent also said: “What can we do? Other modes of transport are too expensive for middle class families. We are concerned about the safety of our children. But we do not have any other option.”

Father George, principal, St Xavier’s High School, said: “I cannot comment on this. I don’t want to comment on the number of buses plying for the school.”

Nisha Jha, chairperson, Bihar State Child Rights Protection Commission, told The Telegraph: “This is a serious problem. Transportation of children in overcrowded autorickshaws is a pity. We will talk to the transport department about this. In Delhi, the government provides school buses. Parents have to pay a nominal sum for the service. We can start it here as well.”

Autorickshaw drivers, however, claim the safety of the children is their responsibility.

“If the parents allow this, why do you care? We drive carefully to ensure that the children are safe. You should mind your own business,” said Raju Kumar, an autorickshaw driver at Christ Church Diocesan School.