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To help Std X and XII students reach their respective exam centres on time, Shiv Sena has asked its auto rickshaw and taxi union to ferry them and their parents free of charge; the party will also construct shelters in schools for waiting parents

School students preparing for the approaching Std X and XII board examinations will have one less thing to worry about this year, with the Shiv Sena offering to ensure that they get easy and cost-free transportation to their exam centres.

The state board exams for Std XII are due to begin on February 21, while Std X exams will commence from March 3. Every year, students have to struggle to find auto rickshaws and taxis willing to ferry them to the schools. This year, however, Sena-affiliated auto rickshaw drivers will come to their rescue and take them to exam centres free of charge. Senior Sena leader Anil Parab, who heads the Sena-affiliated Maharashtra Rickshaw Chalak Sena, has asked all of the union members to make their vehicles available to students for free. “Our union will transport students and parents to the schools and back home without charging any fare.” He told mid-day that the idea was to help students and parents who face difficulties in reaching the examination centres in time. “The students may not get taxis or rickshaws to board because of refusals by drivers or shortage of vehicles. We will post Sainiks at all crucial places and at rickshaw and taxi stands to help students,” he said. The initiative will be implemented between Bandra and Jogeshwari, Parab said, adding, “I have taken the idea to our senior leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray to see whether it can be done in the entire city and MMR region.” Sainiks will also have shelters ready for parents who accompany their wards to exam centres, so they can wait in comfort as their children finish writing the exams.