Chandigarh, Nov. 11 -- Schoolchildren bore the brunt of the Chandigarh-Mohali borders' closure on Monday afternoon after police blocked various routes to stop protesters from moving towards Panjab University. The restrictions and diversions left several schoolbuses and parents stranded in long traffic jams for hours during school dispersal time. The borders were sealed around 1-2 pm, coinciding with the peak hour when schools were being dismissed and students were heading home in buses or with their parents. At St Joseph's School, Sector 45, nearly 600 students were stranded as buses and guardians arrived late for pickup. "My son left for school at 7 am and reached home in Sector 115 by 5 pm. It's distressing to see no prior measures were taken by the administration regarding traffic and the safety of students," said the parent of a Class 6 student from St Xavier's School. Schools in the southern sectors of Chandigarh were worst affected as buses heading towards Mohali were stuck for hours. Many students waited inside schools for their parents, while others remained inside buses caught in the traffic. At St Stephen's School, Sector 45, students had to stay back as parents were delayed, and two school buses were stuck en route. A teacher from St Anne's Convent School, Sector 32, said their buses were also delayed, and parents arrived late for pickups. The road from Sector 49 to Mohali was completely clogged, though teachers from Manav Mangal School, Phase 10, assisted in managing traffic with walkie-talkies until movement resumed. Private school authorities criticised the poor traffic management and lack of prior intimation from the police or local administrations. Francis, principal of St Stephen's School, said, "Our school timings are from 8 am to 2 pm, but today students had to stay back as buses were stuck and parents were delayed. Without prior warning, we had to arrange alternate routes and send children home with other parents." HS Mamik, president of the Independent Schools Association, said, "No information was shared regarding any traffic advisory or school closure for Monday. It is the responsibility of the police and administration to manage traffic and ensure students' safety. In such chaos, individual schools can do little." Harsuhinder Pal Singh Brar, director, school education, said, "The government schools in Chandigarh are based on the neighbourhood concept, so traffic is not much of a problem for the students who are commuting to school. As for private schools, they are making decisions accordingly."...