THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was a scary sight for onlookers as a five-year-old child in uniform struggled to cross the busy Attakulangara- East Fort road. The car, he was travelling, dropped him on the opposite side and the driver waited impatiently for the child to cross the roads so that he could take off.
As shocking as it sounds, this is a regular occurrence in the city. Private buses that transport children are more in number than school buses. Legally, only privately-owned public contract carriages, including cabs and buses (yellow number plates with black text), can carry children to school. They should also follow the rules applicable to school buses.
However, the reality is different. More than 100 cases were registered by the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) for violation in June alone after the schools reopened.
“Cabs and contract carriages should be subjected to tests every year so that we can keep an eye on its fitness aspect. Also, any vehicle with private registration (white number plates with black text) should not carry children. Many such cases have been found. We slap a fine and urge them to convert the permit to that of contract carriage. The fine is Rs 3,000,” said an MVD inspector.
However, there are more issues. Such vehicles are often crowded and lack sufficient staff. While the MVD can charge them a fine of Rs 3,000, they cannot insist on a cleaner/conductor for the bus.
“We are keeping an eye out for all vehicles carrying students as we have prioritised student safety. We also insist on installing GPS and panic button in such vehicles. However, we cannot insist on a cleaner. In the absence of a cleaner, the driver is supposed to pick and drop children safely, but it rarely happens,” said the MVD inspector.
There is also a flip side to it. It's mostly children from the underprivileged background who resort to such transportation means. “Cracking down on them with a heavy hand will adversely affect a lot of students which prompts at least some among us give the vehicles some leeway,” said another MVD inspector.