BHUBANESWAR: Transport officials on Wednesday slapped a fine of `4 lakh on a school bus in Koraput as it launched a crackdown on unfit and unsafe vehicles transporting children to schools across the State. Officials said, the bus, bearing registration number OR02BJ6200, of Netaji English Medium School, Semiliguda, was issued a challan of Rs 4,01,500 for lacking fitness, running without permit and not paying MV tax since April 2018. Its fitness had expired since July 31, 2020.
The tax and penalty alone amounted to Rs 3.81 lakh, while it was fined Rs 20,000 for not having fitness and permit, and Rs 500 for other general offences. Apart from Koraput, Rs 43,000 fine was also collected from three school buses and an autorickshaw in Bhubaneswar for not having fitness, pollution and insurance certificates.
A motor vehicle (MV) inspector from RTO-I in the city said two school buses were challaned Rs 15,500 each for carrying children to schools without having fitness and pollution certificate and other violations near Kalinga Hospital square, while another was fined Rs 5,000 for not having fitness certificate. An autorickshaw, ferrying school children, was also imposed fine of Rs 7,000 for not not having fitness and insurance certificates.
The enforcement was also carried out in other RTO jurisdictions of the State in which 173 school buses and vehicles were found without valid fitness certificate, 98 without insurance, 85 without permit, 59 without driving licence and 51 without pollution certificate.
A total 235 challans were issued on the first day of the week-long special drive launched by the State government to check safety parameters of buses and other vehicles carrying students to schools ahead of commencement of the new academic session from May.
“ The safety of children is paramount. No vehicle can ply without absolute compliance to the safety laws. The enforcement will continue till April 27 to crackdown on violators,” said an official. Transport officials said all RTOs have been instructed to inspect buses and other vehicles ferrying children to schools during the drive. They said as new academic session is set to begin from next month, the ‘Policy on Transportation of School Children’ framed in 2016 will be strictly enforced.