Private school cabs won't face action till Sept 28

Delhi government's Transport Department on Monday gave relaxation from action to private vehicles operating as school cabs in the city, till September 28, when examinations in most schools will get over. Most of these vehicles are private vans and mini-buses that ferry schoolchildren. Last week, the department had started a drive against these operators for violation of safety norms and for not having valid commercial permits.

Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot told the associations that "action against violators will continue. On request of school owners, however, enforcement action will not be taken against these vehicles till September 28".

Also, by last week, the enforcement teams had impounded over 19,00 vans for flouting norms. The government has now planned to update the School Cab Policy, 2007, with new rules for transporters as well as schools, by the year-end.

According to officials, over 70,000 such private vans ply in the city, without following any guidelines. Data says, in 2016, as many as 14.70 lakh students were ferried to schools in illegally plying vans.