Assam: Drive for safety on school buses in state

GUWAHATI, July 12, 2018: On the second day of Kamrup (metro) district transport department's drive for safety of school buses on Wednesday, the Army School (Narengi) and found altogether 11 school buses not conforming to Supreme Court guidelines.

"Irregularities were detected in fitness certificate, GPS, tax payment and high security number plates. A three-day deadline has been given to them to fix the irregularities," district transport officer Sayed Rafiqul Mannan, who led the inspection team, said.

For More Assam News Click Here

The drive was launched by the transport department to check implementation of the Supreme Court regulations. The department started the drive after Consumer Rights Organisation, an NGO, filed complaint with Kamrup (metro) administration.

The norms stipulate installation of nets on windows, a handyman and maintenance of proper speed, among others. The guidelines were issued on December 16, 1997.

On the first day of the inspection, the department seized a school bus of Kendriya Vidyalaya (Nine Mile) which failed to produce the registration documents. "We found 22 buses at Kendriya Vidyalaya. Of these one lacked registration and some others were without proper documents. We have seized the non-registered bus and given three days' time to school authorities to fix other irregularities," Mannan said.

The DTO said such irregularities in school buses is a serious threat to road safety.

The list submitted by the NGO to the administration contained names of 16 city schools violating court norms. District road safety committee of Kamrup (metro) had met representatives of these schools on Tuesday.

Mannan said,"These schools don't own buses but hire them. This is the main cause of violation as they have to depend on the owners. We will cover all schools of Guwahati under the drive".

Source: The Telegraph

Featured image: Representation