Check if school buses stick to safety norms: Bombay HC

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has asked the state education department and the state transport commissioner to randomly visit 10 schools in the city to check whether or not they are following the required safety measures prescribed in the Maharashtra State Motor Vehicles rules for school buses. The court has also asked the state education department to create awareness among parents not to allow their children travel in overcrowded vehicles that drop students to their respective schools.

A division bench of justices Naresh Patil and Nitin Sambre was hearing a PIL pertaining to the safety of school children. The court on Friday asked what mandatory directions the state had issued schools pertaining to the safety of children travelling regularly in school buses and other vehicles.

The state counsel informed the court that it was mandatory to attach grills to the windows of school vehicles and equip them with first aid boxes and lady attendants in case they were ferrying more than 13 children. The court expressed displeasure when the state informed that it did not have any data to show how many school buses were following the prescribed rules.

The court said that along with the school principal, parents too had a responsibility towards their children and as such, needed to avoid sending them to school in overcrowded buses or vehicles. The court said that awareness was needed among parents about not sending their kids in overcrowded vehicles.

The court then asked the state to visit 10 schools in the city and file a report till Wednesday.