Barfiwala school yet to resume bus service after ‘freak accident’

The school bus service at CD Barfiwala School in Andheri, where a student died after being run over by his school bus last week, will not resume on Monday. The decision was taken after a meeting between the school management and the bus contractor on Friday.

The school bus service at CD Barfiwala School in Andheri, where a student died after being run over by his school bus last week, will not resume on Monday. The decision was taken after a meeting between the school management and the bus contractor on Friday.

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Although the school suspended the bus service after the ‘freak accident’, the final decision was left open to parents whose children use the school bus. On Thursday, the school management held a meeting with about 300 parents who wanted the school to resume the bus service on July 9, provided all the safety measures are in place.

“Parents want every bus to have a lady attendant and drivers should have the mobile numbers of parents. The bus contractor needs time to fulfil the conditions,” said Bharat Valiya, trustee of the Andheri School.

The school management wants a written assurance from the bus contractor on fulfillment of the all the norms. “We want the contractor to comply with all the norms before resuming the service. Parents should be willing to pay a hike in bus fees if the contractor revises them.”

But the lady attendant has gone to her native home and finding a new one is hard, Bakul Rathod, the bus contractor said. “Most of the norms are in place, but we need some time.”

Parents said it was unsafe for children to travel in the bus if all the safety norms were not in place. “These have been prescribed by the government and the contractor should abide by them,” said Ajit Balan, member of the Parent Teacher Association of the school.