New bus policy documents yet to reach city schools

Participants at the district-level school bus safety committee meeting on Friday said that the education department is yet to send documents related to the new policy to schools. Bhavya Dore reports.

Participants at the district-level school bus safety committee meeting on Friday said that the education department is yet to send documents related to the new policy to schools.

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The school bus safety policy, which suggests a series of measures to make the vehicles safer, came into effect in 2011, but is still not being fully implemented.

After a nursery student from a suburban school was allegedly molested in a bus last month, the issue has once again gained prominence.

The committee, which held its second meeting since its formation in April 2012, reiterated that schools will have to set up transport committees to ensure bus safety.

Several representatives of the education and transport departments attended the meet, headed by police chief Satyapal Singh. "Schools come under the education department, so only they can ensure that the committees are formed and the policy is followed," said a transport official who attended the meeting..

The school education department is yet to send the complete documentation to schools, said some members.

"The education department is required to send the documentation to enable schools to administer the bus service," said Indrani Malkani, a committee member, who was also on the government committee that drafted the policy.

Three education inspectors from each of the zones attended the meeting. "The education department will do whatever is required," said NB Chavan, deputy director of education for the Mumbai region.

The representative of the school bus operators boycotted the meeting.