Pune RTO cracks whip on illegally run school vans, buses

PUNE At a time when schools have reopened in Pune and students have started going to and fro using means of transport such as vans, buses and auto-rickshaws, the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) has initiated a crackdown on illegally-running vehicles

PUNE At a time when schools have reopened in Pune and students have started going to and fro using means of transport such as vans, buses and auto-rickshaws, the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) has initiated a crackdown on illegally-running vehicles. So much so that the Pune RTO has found half of the 6,200 school transport vehicles not registered and not having the legal permission to transport students. As part of the special drive, Pune RTO inspectors are checking school vans and buses that are running on the roads illegally without necessary registration and permission.

As part of the special drive, Pune RTO inspectors are checking school vans and buses that are running on the roads illegally without necessary registration and permission. (HT FILE PHOTO)

Over the last two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, none of the school transport vehicles were operating. Earlier in 2019, the Pune RTO had registered 6,200 vehicles in the Pune division. Now that schools have reopened from this academic year, nearly 3,000 school vans and buses have registered till now and got their fitness certificate procedure done from the RTO.

Sanjay Sasane, deputy regional transport officer, said, “We have already appealed to all school transport vehicle owners to first get their fitness certificate procedure done and only then undertake transportation of students. However, we have found that half of the vehicles have not got their fitness certificate procedure done. Hence we have initiated this drive wherein our inspectors are checking these vehicles across the city.”

“As part of this exercise, safety-related things like window bars, footsteps, seating arrangements, first-aid boxes and other necessary safety measures are checked. Also the vehicle’s documents, fitness certificate, and whether a mutual agreement has been signed with the school is all checked by our inspectors,” Sasane said.

However, a school van owner on condition of anonymity said, “We have covered almost all the safety norms, completed the necessary documentation and other processes to carry out transportation of students. Still, the RTO is taking some kind of action just to show that they are doing their job. The RTO point outs minor things and issues notices to us and does not give us fitness certificates.”