
DEHRADUN: In a decisive move to enhance the safety of schoolchildren, particularly girls, the transport department in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, has implemented stricter regulations for school van operations.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Dehradun RTO Shailesh Tiwari emphasised the importance of communication for school van drivers.
He said, “The school van driver will need to create a WhatsApp group that includes the mobile numbers of the children’s parents. As soon as the children arrive at school, the driver must send a message to the WhatsApp group to inform them. Additionally, when the driver picks up the children from school at dismissal time, they will also provide an update message.”
“This will ensure that parents are informed when their child arrives at school on time in the morning and departs safely for home in the afternoon. The RTO department will also conduct surprise checks, and if the van operators fail to comply with these orders, they will face penalties,” RTO Tiwari added.
In response to incidents of harassment involving female students, the department has prohibited girls from sitting in the driver’s cabin of school vans.
RTO Tiwari stated, “Any van found violating this rule will be immediately seized. Additionally, if a van exclusively transports female students, it is mandatory to install a metal partition between the driver’s cabin and the passenger seats to ensure their safety.”