Pune -
The Pune district school bus safety committee has directed schools, school bus operators, and transport agencies to strictly comply with school bus safety regulations, with Pune joint commissioner of police Sanjay Darade warning that action will be taken against vehicles found operating without mandatory safety measures, including functional CCTV systems.
Darade was speaking at a meeting of the district school bus safety committee held at the Pune city police Commissionerate on Wednesday. Officials from the transport, police and school education departments attended the meeting. He said that the transportation of school students is a highly sensitive issue and that schools and operators must ensure that all school buses and vans used to ferry children meet the prescribed safety standards.
One of the key directives issued during the meeting was regarding CCTV cameras in school transport vehicles. Darade said, “The government has made CCTV installation mandatory in every vehicle transporting school children and the system must be functional when the vehicle is presented for renewal of its fitness certificate. Vehicles found without a functional CCTV system will face action.”
The committee also directed school-level transport committees to address complaints from parents regarding school bus services, safety and fares; and submit a report to the district committee every three months. Schools and transport operators have been instructed to appoint drivers, female attendants and other transport personnel in writing; and complete their police character verification and medical examinations.
{{/usCountry}}The committee also directed school-level transport committees to address complaints from parents regarding school bus services, safety and fares; and submit a report to the district committee every three months. Schools and transport operators have been instructed to appoint drivers, female attendants and other transport personnel in writing; and complete their police character verification and medical examinations.
{{/usCountry}}School managements and transport operators will have to maintain records including police verification reports, appointment letters, training details and medical certificates of all transport staff. These documents must be produced immediately whenever they are sought for inspection by the police, transport department or other government agencies.
The meeting also reviewed compliance with the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles (Regulations for School Buses) Rules, 2011. Officials stressed that provisions relating to vehicle construction, mandatory safety equipment, school bus permits, appointment of drivers and assistants, and the functioning of school and district-level transport safety committees must be followed. The state government amended the school bus regulations on July 16, 2026, introducing additional safety provisions for schoolchildren; and schools and operators have been asked to implement the revised requirements.
Bus contractors have been instructed to maintain attendance records of students and record the time at which each child boards and gets off the bus. For students up to class 5, every trip must have additional supervision through a female attendant or another designated staff member. Special facilities must be provided to enable children with disabilities to board and alight safely. Where required, arrangements should also be made for a teacher, counsellor or parent to accompany such students.
All schools and school bus owners have been given three months to complete compliance with the prescribed guidelines. Authorities have warned that permits of school buses failing to comply with the regulations could be suspended or cancelled. Operators have also been asked to enter into a standard agreement with schools/parents and attach a list of students who will be transported under the arrangement.
The Regional Transport Authority will soon determine fares for school buses and vans. Once the rates are fixed, operators will not be permitted to charge more than 10% above or below the minimum fare prescribed by the RTA.
Schools have also been directed to upload the required information about their schools on the designated school bus safety website. The education department has been asked to issue appropriate directions to all schools to ensure compliance.
The police department has instructed school managements and bus operators to submit online applications for character verification of drivers, conductors, helpers and other school transport personnel. The police verification process is expected to be completed within seven working days. Darade also directed that school bus drivers and assistants should undergo eye examinations and medical tests.
The education department will review whether or not transport committees have been constituted at the school level. The police and transport departments have also been asked to conduct special inspection drives of school vehicles and take strict action against vehicles and drivers found violating safety regulations.
Deputy regional transport officer Swapnil Bhosale, who gave a presentation at the meeting, said that the focus will now be on ensuring that the safety requirements are implemented on the ground rather than them being limited to paperwork. “The objective is to ensure that every school vehicle operating in Pune complies with the prescribed safety norms. Schools and operators must complete the required documentation, police verification, medical and eye examinations, CCTV installation and other safety measures within the stipulated period. The transport department will support the schools that comply whereas vehicles found violating the rules will face enforcement action,” Bhosale said.
Darade directed all concerned departments and school transport committees to hold regular meetings and ensure that school bus operations are conducted strictly as per regulations. He stressed that coordinated action by the police, transport and education departments, along with active monitoring by school-level transport committees, is necessary to ensure safe transportation of school children.