Ensure kids are safe in school buses: Bombay High Court to state

"Ensure that children are driven safely. Parents should feel that their child is safe in school buses and will return home properly," observed the Bombay High Court on Thursday, while asking the state transport commissioner to hold a meeting with school bus owners and managements to discuss safety.

A division bench of Justices Naresh Patil and NW Sambre said, "Don't wait until a school bus catches fire. When you issue licences to ply, ensure that rules are followed. Put a proper system in place, only then will Mantralaya be able to concentrate on larger issues."

The court has also called for details on the mechanism adopted by the transport department to ensure overcrowding is not the norm in school buses. Also, what steps are taken to ensure smaller vehicles are not ferrying children without proper licences. "In rural areas, we have seen that children are almost falling from every side of the three-wheeler. This practice has to be curbed," the bench said.

The direction was given while hearing a petition filed by PTA United forum, an NGO, which has sought proper implementation of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles (Regulation of School Buses) Rules, 2011.

The court has asked for details on the minimum and maximum capacity of school buses plying in Mumbai and whether these are equipped with CCTV cameras etc. for the safety of children.