CUTTACK: Parents beware. Allowing wards to zoom off to schools in bikes and scooters will now not only prove costly but also lead to big embarrassment for them as the Commissionerate police are set to crack down on underage driving here.The drive would be launched as soon as the schools in the city reopened after the summer vacations on Friday. The Commissionerate police would issue letters to the authorities of schools not to permit any student to bring in two-wheelers to school without possessing a driving licence. And the drive would be launched a few days after the notice.Police squads would be posted at the school gates to catch the violators right at the point. The minors would not only be penalised but also detained until their parents or guardians report. “Usually students rush in to school a few minutes before the prayer bell. Caught without licences at the very entrance, they would miss classes for the day. No underage driver would be spared and they would be fined Rs 500 for the offence,” a senior police official said.Three squads of officers, constables and allied staff have already been formed to undertake the drive. They would position themselves in front of the schools at random and everyday at least three schools would be covered.Underage driving has become a menace in the city as parents are openly allowing minor children to ride bikes or scooters on the roads. They are even buying their children vehicles from a very tender age. So much so that even 10-year-olds are found riding vehicles and causing accidents. The objective is to instil fear both among the children and more among the parents. The embarrassment of having children fined in public view will have an impact, police hope.The Orissa High Court has also issued clear-cut directions on dealing sternly with underage driving. Police would also crack down on such violators on the roads and thoroughfares.
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