BENGALURU: A special drive by the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) to check school van drivers for alcohol consumption found 36 drivers testing positive on October 24, raising concerns among parents and school authorities. During the drive, a total of 5,881 school vans were checked across the city.
Menaka Reddy, Coordinator of the Parents Association Bengaluru East Corridor, said nine of the 36 drivers worked for schools in Bellandur and Domlur. “We are working with the traffic department to ensure school managements conduct routine checks and counsel drivers regularly,” she said.
She added that parent associations and school managements have adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards rash driving and alcohol consumption among drivers.
Varsha Saxena, Head of Finance and Administration at Inventure Academy, said their school monitors drivers before every trip and dismisses anyone found under the influence of alcohol. “We are especially vigilant after long weekends or holidays,” she said.
Shashikumar, General Secretary of the Karnataka Association of English Medium Schools, said while schools counsel drivers, those operating private vans independently fall outside school regulation. “Some may test positive due to alcohol consumed the previous night,” he added.
Meanwhile, BN Yogananda, General Secretary of the RTE Students and Parents Association, said police verification of all school staff — mandated in a 2015 order — is often ignored. “If these instructions were followed strictly, such incidents could have been avoided,” he said.
DCP (Traffic-East) Anup Shetty said notices have been issued to school authorities whose drivers tested positive, and the RTO has been asked to suspend their driving licences. “If a driver is found drunk, we inform the school to arrange an alternative, or we do so ourselves to ensure children reach safely,” he said.