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After Mahendergarh mishap, Chandigarh STA challans 20 school buses, autos
Inspecting buses and auto-rickshaws ferrying schoolchildren, the Chandigarh STA also impounded four auto-rickshaws for violating safety rules
A day after six schoolchildren lost their lives in a bus accident in Mahendergarh, Haryana, the State Transport Authority (STA) in Chandigarh swung into action on Friday.
Inspecting buses and auto-rickshaws ferrying schoolchildren, the STA impounded four auto-rickshaws for violating safety rules. Challans were also issued to 13 auto-rickshaws and seven school buses. The exact violations and names of schools using these vehicles weren’t revealed.
STA is the enforcement authority for ensuring school vehicles abide by the provisions of Chandigarh administration’s Safe Transportation Policy for Students (STRAPS).
The STA further issued a directive to all school bus operators within the region to uphold the security standards listed under STRAPS.
Under the policy, school bus operators are mandated to ensure functional CCTV cameras, GPS systems and panic buttons in buses catering to student transportation.
Additionally, operators must possess valid documentation, including permits, insurance, driver’s licence, fitness certificate and pollution control certificate.
STA also urged parents to prioritise approved modes of transportation, preferably those endorsed by school authorities and to verify that safety features, such as CCTV cameras, GPS tracking and panic buttons are installed.
Principals and heads of educational institutions are also tasked with overseeing the compliance of school transportation services provided by their respective transporters.
STA mentioned in its directive that they were responsible for ensuring that buses employed by their institutions adhered to the prescribed safety standards. This came after claims by schools that the buses are run by third party operators and not them whenever any discrepancies are discovered.
The traffic police had also carried out a drive regarding this in April 2019. Two school buses were impounded and 92 challans were issued during the drive.
UT education dept to hold meeting with schools
The UT education department is also going to hold a meeting with all private and government schools regarding safe school transportation on Monday.
Confirming this, UT director school education Harsuhinderpal Singh Brar said the schools’ compliance with regard to the Safe Transportation Policy for Students (STRAPS) policy will be discussed and the principals will be sensitised.
Parents will further be sensitised during parent-teacher meetings so that they are aware of consequences if they don’t opt for right mode of transportation to and from schools.
