Chandigarh Administration to collect data of schoolchildren using autos

Chandigarh, July 5

UT Transport Secretary Vinay Pratap Singh today reviewed the Safe Transportation Policy for Students (STRAPS) as schools have reopened after the summer break.

Rupesh Kumar, Secretary, State Transport Authority (STA), Shipra Bansal, Chairperson, Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR), HS Mamik, president, Independent Schools’ Association, a traffic inspector, the District Education Officer and the president of School Bus Operators’ Welfare Association were present in the meeting.

The issue of overcrowding in autos and cabs carrying schoolchildren and plying of illegal cabs were also discussed, and it was decided that data regarding schoolchildren using private autos and cabs be collected from schools and parents should be advised to avoid hiring autos and cabs running without permit or carrying children beyond the permissible limit.

Singh said such vehicles would be checked to ensure these were not overcrowded and ply with valid permit. Those found violating the Motor Vehicles Act and jeopardising the safety of schoolchildren would be punished heavily.

Singh said the safety of children during transportation to and from school was of utmost importance and a prime concern of all stakeholders. He mentioned that all stakeholders should draw lessons from some recent tragic incidents involving school buses and vehicles in different parts of the country and take effective steps in Chandigarh to avoid such accidents.

Shipra said it was observed that sometimes, proxy, unverified and untrained persons drive school buses in the absence of actual drivers. She also highlighted the issue of expired medicines in first-aid box in school buses and vehicles and that all bus drivers and attendants do not undergo life-support training.

The Transport Secretary directed the School Bus Operators’ Welfare Association to ensure that only verified and trained drivers were deployed in school buses even if main drivers were absent from duty, and that all buses had updated and stocked first-aid box. He also emphasised that bus drivers and attendants be given life-support training through Red Cross.

The STA secretary informed that the construction of the Regional Driving Training Centre (RDTC) would be completed soon. A training and refresher course for school bus drivers would be held at the RDTC soon. He also informed that the STA was issuing challans for overcrowded autos and cabs carrying schoolchildren.

Mamik urged the UT Administration to consider avoiding inspection of school buses during opening and closing times of schools so as to avoid the delay caused due to it in ferrying students to and from schools. He further requested that such inspections could be done at other times so that students don’t have to face inconvenience. The Transport Secretary asked the STA secretary and the Traffic Police to consider the representation and develop a standard operating proceducre (SOP) and schedule for checking of school buses.

Singh directed that special drive should be conducted by the STA and the Traffic Police in July and August to curb violations related to vehicles ferrying schoolchildren. Both the STA and the Traffic Police were directed to submit a data of challans issued to school buses and vehicles in the past one year for analysis.