Odisha govt orders stringent action against school buses carrying beyond capacity

Owners or management of private schools will face the music for allowing buses and three-wheelers transport more students than the prescribed carrying capacity. 

The State Government of Odisha has asked all regional transport officers to check the vehicles which transport school children and take appropriate action as per law. This covers all school buses including school-owned/managed or operated and three-wheelers for ferrying more students than the carrying capacity.

As per the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, the carrying capacity of school buses and three-wheelers that transport school students should be displayed both inside and outside the vehicle.

The apex court committee had also directed to take stringent action for overloading of school buses and three-wheelers. The SC has made it mandatory for schools to ply yellow buses only so that it can be distinguished easily. 

Transport Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda has asked all regional transport officers to instruct all school buses and three-wheelers, which ferry school students, to display the carrying capacity of the vehicle both inside and outside the vehicle.

Owners of the vehicles, which are not owned by schools, will be brought to task for flouting the SC directive. The direction came after a number of vehicles found to be violating certain guidelines.

Earlier, the State Government had directed school buses to have an attendant while transporting students and a valid conductor licence granted under the Odisha Motor Vehicles Rules.

Auto-rickshaws and mini-vans which continue to ferry children perilously were asked to fix safety grills, holding hangers, first aid box and fire extinguishers in the vehicles.