Speak up Mumbai: Is Maharashtra government driving past school transport safety?

On October 3, the Bombay High Court questioned the rationale of the state government behind permitting vehicles having a seating capacity of less than 13 to ply as a school bus, defying the central government's notification from last year that had defined "school buses" as vehicles that have a seating capacity of 13 passengers and more, excluding the driver. Earlier in August, the HC had summoned the additional commissioner of the Maharashtra transport department for issuing a resolution that nullified the order regulating school buses. The transport department had issued a circular on May 19 that allowed vehicles without 13 seats to ply as school buses.

While the alterations to school bus rules have irked the HC, they have raised many eyebrows. Doesn't the state government give two hoots about the safety of school children, ask concerned citizens.

While people want the government to take the issue seriously and school authorities to ensure complete compliance of vehicle safety norms, school managements grumble that even if they provide transport facilities, parents choose 'unsafe vehicles' for their kids.

VOICES

When I compare today's scenario with my school days, I feel that quite a number of measures had taken by authorities to make school transport safe. But if we feel that the authorities are not doing enough, and our children are travelling via unsafe mode, we should immediately stop using them. Unsafe modes of school transport survive because of parents who just complain and not look for alternatives.
— Ankit Arora, Borivali

We need a policy that is holistic and takes care of all aspects. Having an attendant on the bus for the kid is a must. Not anyone and everyone should be allowed to drive a bus; they should be specially trained and have enough experience. Registration documents of the bus and details of its staff should be made available to parents. A background check of the bus staff before hiring is absolutely necessary.
— Yogita Gonji, Thane

The authorities and contractors who provide transportation facilities to school should ensure safe commute of children. However, I think that there's a dearth of rules and regulations which will make both school administration and bus operators more accountable, and I don't think the authorities are doing something about it. As of now no constructive step has been taken by the authorities to make commuting to school safe.
— Somesh Chowdhary, Andhwei West

The state government should come up with stringent rules guidelines for school bus since it is a question of our children's safety. It is also necessary that the existing rules and regulations are implemented strictly. Responsibility, however, does not lie with school authority and government alone. Parents should also play an important role in implementing the rules since it is for their children's safety. They should check that the school bus in which their children goes, is following all the rules and regulation set by the authorities.
— Smita Bhingarde, Jogeshwari

Safety is not defined by the seating capacity of the vehicle but on other factors like the experience of staff, adhering to traffic rules etc. The rule allowing 7-seater vehicles is the need of hour considering rising fuel cost. A 13-seater bus is financially viable only if all the seats are occupied. With only 5-6 students on a particular bus route, 13-seater bus becomes a liability. If the 7-seater vehicle is following safety norms, then I think it is always better to have a 7-seater option available.
— Neeta Lokhande, Navi Mumbai,

Ensuring safe school transport is one of the prime responsibilities of school authorities. There are many instances where loopholes in the transport system of the school had led to tragic unfortunate incidents. Just painting the buses and vans with yellow colour cannot be a justified solution. A background check of bus staff is a must. At times drivers work on a freelance basis without any authorized license which ultimately puts the future of small kids at stake.
— Bhavesh Sharma, Dahisar

Change has come, things are much better than what it was five years ago. However, I feel, much more can be done. Even with the rules in place, there is rampant over-crowding in the school vans and buses. Children need to have full seat to themselves to accommodate their schoolbags. Often two or more students are cramped in addition to the sanctioned capacity. Buses going over the speed limit and the fear of children getting injured inside the bus are a concern with many parents.
— Tejashri Bhingarde, Sewri

Buses that are run by the school management are functioning in accordance with the rules. They are spacious, have a supervisor and facilitate safe disembarkation and embarkation. The same cannot be said about the private vans. The driver alone can't supervise the kids. Even with grill doors, hard roof, fire extinguisher and other safety measures laid down by the state act, I feel that these vehicles are unsafe for children.
— Rashmi Sagvekar, Mulund

EXPERT SPEAK

School authorities do not have any control over school transport unless it's owned by the school. Most of the schools across the city outsource bus service. Unless the police keep an eye on these buses on regular basis it will be difficult to expect full compliance of the safety norms on their part. In the majority of the mishaps, school authorities are held responsible to execute 100 per cent compliance of vehicle safety norms. Unfortunately, they do not have means to keep a check on these aberrations.
— Dr. Rajendra Pradhan, President, DS High School, Sion

Government is not doing enough to keep school transport safe. As per rules, autos carrying school kids should have grill doors. Most of the times the grill doors are missing in autos. I have complained about it to the police several times but in vein. What makes it worse is that they are not afraid of legal action. Our school management bears the expense of school bus driver and lady attendant, and our buses are as economical. Still parents choose unsafe vehicles for their kids.
— Raj Aloni, Principal, Ramsheth Thakur Public High School, Kharghar