After a two-month summer break, school buses and private vehicles ferrying students have once again started making their presence felt on the city roads. But in spite of all the regulations and directives by the civil administration and the police, this academic year too the lives of the students are at risk.
Most schools in the city are flouting the guidelines and the students are forced to travel in overcrowded buses and vans. These vehicles lack even proper seating arrangements.
Just before school reopening, the authorities had said that they would do their best to implement the rules in letter and spirit. It was announced that if any school or private vehicle was found carrying students beyond its capacity, the authorities concerned would take action.
An order mentioning the directives was sent to all the schools and the police stations concerned then. But nothing is being done in this direction even now, say local people.
The police had clearly asked the schools to produce fitness certificates of all buses, including the private transport vehicles, carrying students. Following which, they had conducted awareness sessions for the school bus drivers. It now seems that all these classes fell on deaf ears.
Several children and their parents now allege that the students are stuffed in the school buses and vans like cattle and nothing has been done by the school managements despite repeated complaints.
To some extent, parents, who prefer private vehicles to school buses to send their kids to school, are also responsible.
According to District Collector K N Satheesh, steps are being taken to identify the buses or any other vehicle in which students are packed. “Motor Vehicles Department and the police are entrusted with this task,” he says.
Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Traffic (North) Mahesh R says that the vehicles flouting norms have been identified and notice will be sent to the bus owners and respective schools.
“However, it is to be noted that this time it is the private vehicles that are flouting the norms,” he says. The police officer also says that cases will be registered against the owners and drivers of the vehicles.
“Children are reportedly packed in most of the vehicles,” he says.
