Schools van stay off roads, attendance hit at schools

More than 600 school buses stayed off the roads on Saturday in protest against the transport department's move to confiscate old buses that moved on roads. The School Bus Operators Union is leading the protest, which caused inconvenience to parents and students of more than 30 schools in the city. The administration had also decided to impose some taxes on such vehicles.

More than 600 school buses stayed off the roads on Saturday in protest against the transport department's move to confiscate old buses that moved on roads. The School Bus Operators Union is leading the protest, which caused inconvenience to parents and students of more than 30 schools in the city. The administration had also decided to impose some taxes on such vehicles.

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Attendance at some schools was also hit, with some institutions even deciding to stay close because of the strike.

The protesting school van operators also organised a road rally till the office of deputy commissioner Baljinder Singh, president of the Amritsar School Van Union.

He claimed that they wanted a softer tax regime and a meeting had been scheduled with the district transport officials on Monday.

"We have been asked to take children to school and drop them back home on Monday, with the assurance that the issue is likely to be resolved during the meeting," he said.

District transport officer Angrez Singh, said that the taxes were being charged from the School Van Operators in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court.