The recent mishap in which some schoolchildren were injured after a Maruti van toppled,activist have once again urged the Regional Transport Office to strictly implement school transport norms. In a letter to Regional Transport Officer Arul Yeola,Prashant Inamdar,convenor of Pedestrians First,an organisation working for road safety,said,The van was a private vehicle without any contract carriage licence. In all probability,the driver did not have a badge for driving a public transport vehicle. It is reportedly claimed by the driver that the brakes failed,which means the vehicle was not fit. There were about 20 children in the van,which clearly means it was loaded beyond capacity. It is evident the van operator violated rules. Inamdar stated that as per the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules,School Bus Regulations 2011,any vehicle used for transporting schoolchildren needs a contract carriage licence and a special permit. In the absence of such a permit,vehicles will not be allowed to transport schoolchildren. The vehicle has to comply with stipulated safety norms,too. The driver needs to have a public transport badge and an experience of at least five years driving similar vehicles. There are also clear rulings of the Supreme Court in this regard. Inamdar said the recent accident was not an isolated one and most vehicles transporting schoolchildren violate rules with impunity. It is only good fortune that so far there have not been any accidents causing serious injuries or fatalities, the Pedestrians First letter stated. Inamdar said it was a matter of serious concern that despite the existence of the MV Act and the newly notified school bus regulations,thousands of vehicles openly ply illegally as school transport without the requisite permits or compliance of rules. The vehicles are overloaded with children and are driven rashly. There does not seem to be any fear of law among operators and safety of young innocent schoolchildren is being jeopardized. We have raised this issue a number of times, the letter said. The civic activist said the recent accident should be regarded as a warning highlighting the need for taking the matter seriously. It is imperative that the RTO,along with Traffic Police should take immediate proactive steps for safety of schoolchildren by enforcing the MV Act,school bus regulations and traffic rules on all vehicles plying as school transport, Inamdar said.
