An LPG-propelled van which carries schoolchildren of the St Joseph’s School burst into flames at a congested locality at Chirwai Naka, raising concerns over the safety of vehicles transporting schoolchildren.
The van bearing registration number MP 07 BA 1759 was returning after dropping the children. It would have been a major tragedy had there been children on board.
The incident sent shock waves among eyewitnesses and parents of the children.
Though the Kampoo police confiscated the van, no FIR has been registered till the time this report was written. Preliminary investigations showed that the driver had earlier repaired the vehicle on his own after a technical fault.
This is the third such incident in 8 months. In all the three cases the vans were fitted with LPG kits.
Despite a total ban on LPG fitted school vans and despite numerous assurances by the RTO and the Traffic Police, private school vans for small children continue to run on manually fitted LPG kits, thus exposing the little children to grave risks.
Time and again the Traffic Police and the RTO have been saying that they would take strict action against the erring vans but a reality check revealed that private vans having manually fitted LPG kits with low-grade gas cylinders continue to ferry children.
Traffic laws pertaining to school vehicles are being violated with liberty and immunity; faulty and unsafe school vans continue to ferry children violating almost all the Supreme Court guidelines and the Police and the RTO continue to pass the buck whenever and wherever they can.It looks like the Traffic Police and the Transport Department are waiting for a major tragedy to come out of this lackadaisical attitude towards small children.
Speaking to the media persons, Navneet Bhasin, the Gwalior SP said that he has directed the Traffic DSP, RN Tripati to conduct an enquiry and submit the report as early as possible. He added that action will be taken against the erring persons after the report is received.
He also said that instructions have been sent out to intensify the checking drive of school buses and vans.