Ensure school buses follow rules: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court has directed the state transport department to reply within two weeks to a PIL filed seeking that light motor vehicles, BEST and MSRTC buses used for ferrying schoolchildren follow the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles (Regulation of School Buses) Rules 2011.

A division bench of justice VM Kanade and justice MS Sonak said: "This is a serious matter and something needs to be done."

The court gave the direction while hearing a PIL filed by PTA United Forum, which highlighted the fact that the authorities have failed to ensure that the buses operated by stage carriers adhere to the safety norms envisaged in the rules and obtain a special permit for carrying schoolchildren. The inactions have caused the death of several schoolchildren and rapes of schoolgirls, and continue to expose them to grave risks, the PIL said.