As many as 118 out of the 120 school buses that were inspected on Saturday by transport officials under a mass vehicle inspection programme for school vehicles, failed to fulfil the safety norms and were issued notices.
After repeated accidents involving school buses, the State government had instructed private schools to strictly adhere to the court order on safety measures.
The safety measures include school logo, e-mail ID of the person responsible, emergency doors, flooring maintained to a height of 250 mm, separate cabin for driver, experience of five years for drivers, bag rack below the seats, strong window grills and first aid boxes with proper medicines.
K Selvakumar, Chief Educational Officer, sent circulars to all schools in the district to produce their vehicles for inspection by officers from the Regional Transport office. Out of a total 523 buses including 338 belonging to Srirangam RTO, 135 buses were called for inspection in the first phase.
However, 120 vehicles arrived and RTO officials conducted a thorough inspection into the vehicles in the presence of the CEO. They measured the vehicle, inspected emergency doors and even the engines.
Officials found that out of the 120 school buses, 118 buses failed to fulfil the norms directed by the court. Subsequently, RTOs Balasubramanian (Tiruchy) and Pandian (Srirangam) issued notices to the vehicles.
“We have given them time till Dec 15 to alter the vehicles as per the norms. After the grace period, they will be seized and taken off roads,” Balasubramanian said.