AGRA: As many as 517 school buses identified as “unfit to ply” are operating in Agra district in violation of road safety norms. These buses do not have the mandatory fitness certificate issued by the regional transport department. Most also do not have the necessary fire safety arrangements, according to sources at the regional transport department. All this puts at risk the schoolchildren who travel in them.
The RTO sources said 187 buses have been listed in the “dangerous” category. They have been operating for over 15 years and are required to be phased out.
Last month, the regional transport department had issued notices to 517 school buses operating in violation of norms. Out of these, only 17 appeared for the fitness test.
The authorities have stepped up checking of school buses in the district ever since a 10-year-old student of a private school in Ghaziabad died last month after he allegedly hit his head on an electricity pole while sticking it out of a bus window that did not have a grill. The RTO authorities warned that challan would be issued to the school buses not having the fitness certificate. Buses over 15 year old would be impounded if spotted plying on the roads.
AK Singh, RTO (administration), said, “We will be organizing a meeting with school authorities to ensure compliance of the safety norms by the school buses.” As many 80 top schools of the district are among the violators of the safety norms.
On Saturday afternoon, RTO teams stopped to check school buses ferrying students home. Drivers pleaded that the authorities conduct checks when the buses are empty as children have to suffer in the scorching heat. Some parents also objected to the time of checking.
Meanwhile, when TOI contacted some school authorities, they claimed that they were complying with safety norms and were willing to cooperate and make changes as directed by the RTOs.
