Bengaluru: After the outcry that took place among parents and school authorities after the RTO conducted a drive recently against violations by school buses, the transport department conducted a progranmme at Baldwin High School at Richmond Road on Wednesday. The officials interacted with the school management, staff, parents, association of Bangalore school cab drivers/ owners to discuss school children’s transportation safety.
Despite the awareness programmes being conducted by the transport department, there have been no end to the violations by school buses. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Joint Commissioner Narendra Holkar said, “We will now soon start penalizing the drivers and owners.
“We have to streamline the process and parents need to start saying ‘no’ to sending their children in buses and cabs that do not comply with the Supreme Court norms. We need the support of the parents. The school authorities have promised to cooperate, in fact, both Baldwin and Bishop Cotton have sent messages to the parents of all children about the issue.”
The Joint Commissioner for Transport, in his address, emphasised that the school managements and school cab drivers/ owners have to compulsorily comply with the Supreme Court’s orders and the norms of the Karnataka Government immediately so as to avoid penalties or seizure of vehicles. The school cabs should be maintained in good condition with valid fitness certificate, up-to-date taxes, emission certificates, valid insurance and other safety norms, to create a safe environment for the school children.
Baldwin School will now constitute a Safety Committee which will look into the Transport management and safety issues for school children. The programme was attended by the Transport Department Officers and Indra Williams, Principal Baldwin School, Dinakar Wilson, Manager, Baldwin School and other transport staff as well.
