KOZHIKODE: The Motor Vehicle Department has decided to join forces with the police to launch a combined drive to track down unfit school vehicles plying through the district to ensure the safety of students. Recently, the brakes of a school bus failed at Malappuram, resulting in the bus running over a group of students and parents in a school compound, killing a 14-year-old girl and injuring 40. The incident took place on September 30.
After a meeting held between the departments it was decided that strict action — including cancellation of the vehicle permits and driving licence of the vehicle driver — would be taken if vehicles are found plying without proper fitness certificate. “Our plan is to conduct the inspection and prepare a detailed report in a week’s time about school vehicles,” said regional transport officer C.K. Paulson.
Police and RTOs will together conduct the inspections at a faster pace. The same has been started already in Malappuram, he further added. Talking about the serious concern over the safety of students travelling in private vehicles, Traffic South assistant commissioner A.K. Babu said, “It is the laxity of school authorities who show no interest in ensuring safety of students travelling in private vehicles like school vans and auto rickshaws.” Since these vehicles transport students with the permission of the school management, it is their responsibility to ensure that these vehicles are fit enough to ply.
As per MVD records, only 255 educational institution buses and 751 Light Motor Vehicles were legally permitted to operate services for students in the last academic year. The list was prepared after conducting the annual fitness check-up. Hence, after this one week of intense drive, we will also not permit any illegal school services to ply through the city. The RTO further said that some of the main defects commonly found in such buses are poor condition of vehicle engines, outdated fire extinguishers, emergency exits without proper locking facilities, and first aid boxes that do not contain adequate medicines.
