VIJAYAWADA: Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah has warned of stern action against the managements of educational institutions which fail to obtain fitness certificate for their buses transporting children. Special drives will be held from Friday to crack the whip on those buses which fail to obtain fitness certificate from the Transport department.
Speaking to reporters at the Assembly media point on Thursday, Venkataramaiah said deadline for obtaining FC for buses of educational institutions ended on Wednesday. “Even as the deadline ended, many educational institutions across the State are yet to get their buses certified from the department. Following the directions of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the transport department officials in association with education department will carry out surprise checks across the State from Friday and seize the buses without any discrimination,’’ the minister said.
Meanwhile, in Krishna district out of 3,136 around 1,928 buses (as on June 11) obtained fitness certificates from the transport department. Deputy Transport Commissioner E Meera Prasad said that six special teams were constituted to carry out surprise checks in the district to seize the buses which are operating without obtaining FC.
The minister called upon parents to inform about the errant school managements who are operating buses flouting norms. He said that out of 26,898, as many as 16,044 buses (as on June 12) obtained fitness certificates from the transport department. “A detailed report in this regard was reviewed by the Chief Minister, who directed us to organise a meeting with transport commissioner PSR Anjaneyulu and principal secretary MT Krishna Babu to carry out random checks across the State from the first week of July,” Venkataramaiah said.
Number crunching
26,898: No. of school buses in AP
16,044 buses get fitness certificate
10,854 buses are yet to get FC