Bareilly: A meeting of the District School Transport Safety Committee was held under the chairmanship of Additional District Magistrate (City) Saurabh Dubey at the Collectorate Auditorium to strengthen safety measures for student transportation across the district.
The meeting focused on ensuring strict compliance with prescribed norms in school transport systems. Regional Transport Officer (Enforcement) Pranav Jha and District Inspector of Schools Ajit Singh informed that all schools must adhere to safety guidelines, and no institution should operate vehicles without meeting mandatory standards.
Regional Transport Officer Pankaj Singh reported that 756 school vehicles have been inspected and onboarded on the official portal, of which 229 have been verified, while 559 vehicles are yet to meet required standards. These vehicles have been directed to comply with norms by May 15. He added that a total of 5,395 vehicles are registered on the portal in the district, including 196 vehicles currently being used by schools.
Officials outlined four categories of school transport permits, including vehicles operated directly by schools, those contracted through transport agencies, vehicles operated by parents or owners, and vendor-based transport services.
During the meeting, strict instructions were issued to identify and restrict unauthorised vehicles transporting students without the school’s knowledge. Vehicles lacking valid fitness certificates, permits, insurance, or other mandatory documents will be barred from operation.
Authorities also directed school managements to ensure that drivers and conductors possess verified character certificates, valid driving licences, and other required documents before being allowed to operate vehicles.
Appealing to parents, officials urged them not to send children to school in unsafe modes of transport such as overloaded or unregulated vehicles. Police Superintendent (Traffic) Mohammad Akmal Khan informed that character verification can be facilitated through a single-window system at the SSP office.
Chief Fire Officer Manu Sharma cautioned against the use of LPG-fitted vehicles for school transport, citing safety risks, and advised schools to raise awareness among parents through regular meetings.
ADM Saurabh Dubey instructed departments to conduct joint enforcement drives near schools to regulate traffic, prevent overloading, overspeeding, and ensure compliance with safety norms. He also directed all schools to form transport safety committees, maintain regular communication with parents, and conduct mock drills to handle emergencies.
Joint Director of Education Rakesh Kumar emphasised that ensuring children’s safety is a shared responsibility of the administration, schools, and parents.
The meeting was attended by senior officials, representatives of parent and transport associations, and around 110 school principals and transport managers. Officials reiterated that coordinated efforts and strict enforcement will be key to ensuring a safe and well-regulated school transport system in the district.
Reported by Akhilesh Chandra Saxena, Bareilly
