Mumbai: After the Bombay high court’s order the state transport department conducted a special drive from October 1 to 15 this year and found 39 school buses ferrying illegally in the city.
A division bench headed by Justice Naresh Patil was hearing a public interest litigation filed by the Parents Teacher Association (PTA) United Forum, seeking directions to the state government to ensure proper implementation of school bus safety norms as laid down by the Centre in the Motor Vehicles Act, 2012. The petition said that despite rules having been formulated and school buses defined by the Act, the state had been issuing permits to vehicles with less than 12+1 seating capacity.
Earlier, the court directed the state to take action against private school bus owners who did not follow any safety measures prescribed by the state government.
Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Pabale informed the court that as per the court’s order, the state transport department officers had conducted a special drive throughout the state and submitted a chart.
