Two staffs of school buses, who accompany the driver and often fill in at the time of regular driver’s absence, were caught by the administration in inebriated state during district administration’s special checking drive today. The traffic police officials in collaboration with Regional Transport Authority (RTA) booked the drivers of some noted city schools for violating the traffic rules.
Traffic SP, Sanjay Ranjan Singh said that officials at prominent spots stopped the buses in the afternoon and enquired about the valid documents besides checking the availability of preliminary safety arrangement inside the buses. Primary documents like fitness certificates, permits, insurance papers and safety kits were checked by the traffic officials.
“Two school bus cleaners during the checking drive were penalized, while two school buses were seized as the drivers were not carrying valid permit papers with them. Checking of almost all the school buses were done at the major routes. Approximately eight cases of overloading were also registered against some schools,” said the Traffic SP.
Ironically, quite a number of school buses were lacking even the basic safety arrangement and first aid kits inside the school buses mentioned Singh. Notably, the Supreme Court had directed a series of preventive measures ranging from keeping first-aid box in buses to mounting fire extinguishers insides the buses. Besides this, as per the norms, buses door must be fitted with proper lock, horizontal parallel grills on windows.
Alongside imposing fine on the drivers for drunk and driving case, the traffic police officers penalized drivers for infringing other norms formulated under the school bus safety guidelines as well.
The special checking drive has been initiated after receiving complaints from different parent association groups. The district administration has made mandatory for all school bus drivers to carry fitness permits, first-aid kits and adopt all safety measures as mentioned in the advisory for the safety of school students.