VISAKHAPATNAM: In three months the current academic year ends. But not many parents know that the school buses by which their children are ferried to school daily, might not be in safe hands. A majority of drivers operating the school/college buses is not undertaking the mandatory annual fitness examination. Ironically, the Road Transport Authority (RTA) does not have any records as to how many drivers from educational institutions are fit for operating these buses.
As per the norms, all school/college buses should renew the fitness certificate issued by the RTA officials every year. But many school buses are not renewing the certificates or approaching the RTA officials despite stringent warnings. Officials confess that the school managements do not respect the rules with regard to the fitness of the bus and the driver.
In all, 1,623 buses came for annual fitness examination in May/June of the current academic year. After checking the fitness of the vehicles, the RTA officials have declared 239 buses unfit for operation as they have either surpassed 15 years of service or are dilapidated. Only 1,386 buses were given fitness certificate. But several institutions have not sent their buses for examination.
“We were able to seize eight such buses for violating various norms till September, besides registering 151 cases against 143 buses, drivers, and the managements of educational institutions, for violation of various norms, including lack of proper documentation, maintenance and driving licence among other offences,” said deputy transport commissioner G Krishnaiah.
Surprisingly, the RTA officials do not have proper records pertaining to fitness test of drivers of these buses. According to the officials, a majority of the bus drivers visits the RTA office along with their buses and produce relevant documents in May/June before obtaining the fitness certificate for the buses.
“It is difficult to identify the number of drivers who underwent the examination. But among the 151 cases registered by the RTA this year, there were cases where people without valid driving licences were caught driving school buses and cases were registered against them and the school/college management,” admitted Krishnaiah.
He said that the checking is a continuous process and is conducted at regular intervals all through the year to ensure safety of school/college students.
According to the law, the bus driver should be aged below 50 years and should not be suffering from any eye-sight problems. He/she must have at least five years of experience of driving a heavy vehicle/bus. However, in the absence of a stringent monitoring system, the lives of schoolchildren are in jeopardy in Visakhapatnam district. Unless the government acts immediately, the situation could worsen in the next academic year where we have certified school buses driven by uncertified drivers.