Is it possible to report to parents and educational institutions whenever a student is found travelling on the footboard in a bus? Is it practical to suspend or expel students if they repeat the practice?
The Madras High Court on Wednesday said parents and educational institutions could be informed if their wards/students are found travelling on the footboard in buses.
“If the student repeats the practice for the second or third time, the school could dismiss him after a notice to the parent,” the Bench suggested.
The High Court took up the issue suo motu, following the death of four students who were commuting by footboard in a bus on Rajiv Gandhi Salai a few days ago. Express spoke to stakeholders and enforcement authorities to see what they felt about the HC’s suggestion.
“We cannot impose fine on each and every passenger for footboard travel or report all such instances to schools and parents,” a senior MTC official said.
However, the transport corporation has taken the issue very seriously and is taking efforts to prevent accidents and footboard travel, the official added.
“We are posting our staffers and volunteers at bus stops to discipline the students and impress upon them on the dangers of footboard travel,” he said.
Traffic police officials felt that it might be impossible to collect details of all students travelling by footboard. “Traffic cops are posted in almost all bus stops near schools and colleges during morning and evening peak hours. We are putting our best foot forward to prevent dangerous travel ,” a police official said.
Teachers and school staff too felt that implementation of such a rule was difficult and impractical.
A vice-principal of a city school said, “The headmaster or teachers cannot be running behind buses to check on their students. The only solution would be to ensure that most buses on school routes come with automatic doors and that the bus doesn’t move unless the doors are closed. The bus crew also has to be very strict in enforcing it.”
Martin, a parent, said, “Children will only try to find a way to footboard without getting caught by the school authorities.”
Students, however, said that they were only being forced to travel on the footboard. “Though some do it intentionally, most guys are forced to travel on the footboard as there are fewer buses during peak hours. Anyway, I am afraid, expelling might be a disproportionate step,” said S Kamalanathan, a student of a prominent city college.
However, Madras High Court advocate Neethi Durai opined that the court’s ruling was in good faith aimed at disciplining children with a penchant to travel on the footboard.
“It is intended to have a deterrent effect on students who have a tendency to travel on footboard. The court does not want any child to be sent out of school or college,” he added.