Ahmedabad: Traffic cops run education centres for children living on footpath

In a unique initiative, Ahmedabad Traffic Police has been imparting free education to around 200 children living on city footpaths and doing odd jobs for livelihood.

The traffic cops started an initiative 'Police Pathshala' about one and a half years ago with an aim to bring change in the children's lives.

It presently operates three centers in Pakwan area traffic chowki, Danilimda traffic police chowki and Kankaria police chowki in the city and is planning to start more such centres, a police official said.

The children are not only being given free education but the department also provide them with commutation facilities for coming to these centres.

"Cycle rickshaws are deployed to pick up children from their places and bring them to the centres. The children are also given lunch during the study hours," the traffic cop said.

Talking to ANI here, Traffic DCP Ankit Patel said that the basic idea behind the initiative was to educate the children in order to enable them to live a good life.

"We wanted to bring change in the lives of these kids. Kids living on footpaths often get involved in criminal activities so we thought to educate them for a better life," he said.

The police officer also said that the children will be enrolled in regular schools once they are imparted basic knowledge at these centers.