Noida: Widespread traffic disruption amid a labour protest brought key arterial roads to a standstill on Monday.The ensuing chaos severely impacted school transportation and left parents and authorities grappling with confusion. “There was no clarity on bus routes or timings. It was complete chaos on the roads,” a parent from Sector 62 told TOI.
Several schools reported that the absence of any prior traffic advisory left them unprepared for the situation. Major routes across sectors 62, 63, Phase 2 and stretches towards Indirapuram were heavily congested, forcing schools to either delay or reroute buses, while in some cases suspending services altogether.Multiple schools issued urgent notices to parents through messages. A private school in Sector 40 said in a letter, “Due to the ongoing labour strike and heavy traffic… there may be delays in bus timings,” urging parents to track live bus locations and stay in touch with staff.Another school said buses would take longer alternative routes and advised parents to be ready to pick up children from designated stops or directly from school.In a more drastic measure, a school in Sector 34 cancelled afternoon bus services on several routes, asking parents to arrange pick-up between 1.30 pm and 3 pm due to “severe traffic congestion” caused by the protests.School authorities said the situation led to panic, particularly among working parents. Principal of Bal Bharati Public School Asha Prabhakar said the lack of official communication worsened the crisis. “A timely traffic advisory could have helped schools plan better. The situation turned chaotic and triggered anxiety among parents, especially those at work. We had to quickly reroute buses using real-time traffic inputs, and principals remained in constant coordination through the morning to manage the disruption,” she said.Parents, meanwhile, described the day as stressful and disorganised. “We received the message very late. I had to leave work abruptly to pick up my child,” said a parent from Sector 62.
