KOZHIKODE: The Motor Vehicles Department has suspended the fitness certificates of over ten school buses and vans for violation of the safety norms during a one-month drive here. Though the MVD had issued several orders and conducted awareness drives to ensure the safety of students, the schools have not taken any steps for the purpose. Some autorickshaws also were booked for violating the rules.
The fitness certificates of two school buses of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan were suspended in the latest action. Last week, the permits of four other school buses were also suspended for not having doors. Regional transport officer C.K. Paulson said, “the school authorities are lax about the safety of students travelling in private vehicles.” Since they transport students with the permission of the school managements, they have to ensure their fitness, he said.
As per MVD records, only 255 educational institution buses and 751 light motor vehicles were permitted to operate services in the last academic year. The list was prepared after conducting annual fitness check-up. Around 18 private educational institution buses and 69 light motor vehicles were denied permits.
The school authorities said that they had entrusted the transportation of students with a private agency. Hence, there was no school- level steps to check their fitness. The schools will hereafter look into the safety aspects of the vehicles, they added.
Some of the reasons for taking action against the vehicles included poor condition of engines, outdated fire extinguishers, emergency exits without locking facilities and first aid boxes without adequate medicines. The RTO also pointed out that many vehicles ply through the city without undergoing the pre-monsoon special checking conducted prior to the reopening of the schools. The schools have been asked to explain the unfit condition of the vehicles, he said.
