Small school vans run over capacity, claims School Bus Owners Association

In the wake of Thursday's school van accident in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar, in which 13 children died on the spot, the School Bus Owners Association (SBOA) will soon meet the transport commissioner to request disallowing vans from ferrying more students than the vehicle's seating capacity permits. The SBOA will request the transport commissioner to stop giving permits to such small vans in the city and state.

While 13 school children died, eight students suffered injuries in an accident that happened on Thursday morning at Bahpurva railway crossing. This is not the first time that students have been victim to such accidents, claimed SBOA. According to them, the reason behind such accidents is that the number of students taken in such vans is beyond the capacity. The SBOA has decided to meet the transport commissioner soon to stop issuing permits to less than 13-seater vans.

Anil Garg from SBOA said, "We have decided to meet the transport commissioner soon to request them to stop issuing permits to small vans that ferry school children more than their seating capacity. The permits issued to small vans are for seven seats and they ferry more than that number risking their life."

Arundhati Chavan, President of United Forum, Parents Teacher Association, said, "United Forum has appealed in Bombay High Court to ban small vans that ferry many children. These vans are not even monitored by any authorities. Sometimes there are CNG cylinders in the boot of these vans and children keep their school bags on it which is risky as well. To avoid such cases of accidents, the government needs to wake up and ban such small vans that carry children more than their seating capacity."

However, many parents prefer to send their children to school in such vans due to their lesser charges. 

Recently, Education Minister Vinod Tawde had received a complaint letter from parents of pre-primary students going to Maneckji Cooper School in Juhu that the school was forcing them to use the school bus for the transportation of students.