Safety norms tightened for school vehicles in Gautam Budh Nagar

The crackdown follows a statewide special inspection drive conducted, wherein several school vehicles were found operating without mandatory permits, fitness certificates, or PUC documents

GREATER NOIDA: Taking a stern stance on lapses in school transport safety across all recognised schools in the district, the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration on Thursday issued directives stating that principals and school managers will now be held accountable for any violations of transport safety norms, officials informed.

In the event of an accident or criminal incident, any proven negligence will lead to strict punitive action against the school management, and recommendations may be made to withdraw the institution’s recognition, officials said. (HT Archives)

Officials warned that failure to comply with legal and safety standards could invite criminal, administrative, and legal action, including cancellation of school recognition in serious cases.

The crackdown follows a statewide special inspection drive conducted from July 1 to 15, wherein several school vehicles were found operating without mandatory permits, fitness certificates, or pollution control documents.

Many lacked basic safety equipment such as GPS trackers, CCTV cameras, fire extinguishers, seat belts, first-aid kits, and emergency exits. In some cases, drivers had neither undergone police verification nor medical examination - a situation termed “deeply concerning” by enforcement officials, according to the transport department officials.

Assistant regional transport officer (enforcement) Udit Narayan Pandey, acting on instructions from Uttar Pradesh transport commissioner and district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma, emphasised that student safety is paramount and cannot be compromised.

“There will be zero tolerance for any negligence when it comes to the safety of children. The responsibility lies directly with the school principal or manager for any vehicle operating from their campus,” said Pandey.

Now, every school vehicle must possess valid permits, updated fitness certificates, insurance, PUC (Pollution Under Control) and driving licenses and ensure that vehicles are fitted with GPS devices, CCTV surveillance, fire extinguishers, and emergency exits.

All drivers and conductors must undergo police verification, medical fitness checks, and mandatory training. For the safety of girl students, deployment of a female attendant in school vehicles is also compulsory, officials said.

“The violations found - missing permits, unverified drivers, and lack of essential safety tools - reflect a worrying disregard for student safety. Institutions are being reminded to treat every school vehicle as an extension of their campus, equipped, monitored, and fully compliant with safety norms,” added Pandey.

Additionally, every school must form a School Transport Safety Committee to hold monthly meetings to assess compliance. Besides, they are also required to submit transport-related documentation and a monthly compliance report to the ARTO office without fail, officials said.

While there are around 1,900 registered school buses in the district, officials said that the directives apply to all vehicles engaged in student transport, including privately operated vans, mini-buses, and hired cabs running under formal agreements with school.

In the event of an accident or criminal incident, any proven negligence will lead to strict punitive action against the school management, and recommendations may be made to withdraw the institution’s recognition, officials added.

“Instructions have been issued to ensure that all recognized schools in the district comply with legal and safety standards for school vehicles without exception. No school will be allowed to operate in violation of these norms,” said the DM.