As the Education department is at loggerheads with the State Transport Authority (STA) with regard to the content of the bus-service contract, government school students are bearing the brunt of the impasse. It has led to relapsing of another deadline of September 18 when the buses were to ply on the city roads.

The reason behind the stalemate is the agreement that is yet to be signed between the two departments, which covers different clauses such as the duration of contract between transporters, charges, taxes to be paid among others. Vandana Disodia, Secretary, STA, said the department was dilly-dallying the signing of the document. “We are ready with the buses for a trial run and have sent numerous reminders to the department. But officials at the Education department have raised objections to the contract. They say that it needs to be legally examined.”

She further complained that since the contract was same as that signed between private schools and STA, examining the content is not required. “We were scheduled to inaugurate the service on September 25 but with that deadline having lapsed, we do not know when it would be started,” added Disodia.

It has been more than six months since the proposal was floated and the department was apprised about the same. Officials said that the delay would affect around 250 students of Government Model Senior Secondary School in Sector 16, from which three buses were to be run initially. The STA has roped in second hand buses service to offer bus service to government students at subsidised rates.

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