VIJAYAWADA: Only 40 percent of the total 3,000-odd buses owned by the educational institutions across Krishna district have obtained the fitness certificates (FC) from the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) so far. RTA officials reiterated that stern action will be taken against the educational institutions failing to obtain fitness certificates by November 30.
It may be recalled that every year, the educational institutions should obtain fitness certificates from the transport department before June 12, beginning of the new academic year. However, the educational institutions didn’t resume their operations in June due to the Covid-19 pandemic and after postponement in September and October, the State government has issued guidelines to reopen the schools in a phased manner starting from November 2.
Speaking to TNIE, Deputy Transport Commissioner (DTC) M Purendra said that of the total 3,000-odd buses of various educational institutions in Krishna district, 1,000 are in Vijayawada. Of the total buses, only 1,200 have obtained fitness certificates from the department till date.
“We don’t want to take any risk with the lives of the students after resumption of schools during the pandemic. We have directed all the educational institutions in the district ferrying the students in buses only after getting physical examination of the buses done and obtaining the fitness certificates renewed from RTA,” he said.
The DTC further said that the department has also submitted a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to the State government seeking its approval for the same. Asked whether the department will take any action against the educational institutions failed to obtain fitness certificates, Purendra said that as per the guidelines issued by the government, educational institutions will resume in a phased manner from November 2, so the department has decided to provide time to obtain fitness certificates till November 30.
Instructions were given to the educational institutions to only operate the buses which obtained fitness certificates from the department from Monday. If they violate the norms, stern action will be taken against them, the DTC said.