Schools told to implement Safe Vahan scheme by March 31

Tribune News Service
Patiala, January 15

To ensure safety of schoolchildren and reduce accidents involving school buses, the district administration has set a deadline for schools in the district to implement the Safe School Vahan Scheme (SSVS).

At a meeting with officials of various schools in the district at the administrative complex, Assistant Commissioner Naman Marken asked them to implement the scheme by March 31. 

 The Punjab Government had notified the scheme following the High Court order on November 7, 2013. However, over the years, private schools failed to implement the orders with a large number of school vans remaining in a bad condition. 

The administration has asked private schools to ensure that no student below 18 years of age brought  any vehicle to the school. The schools have been also told to keep a vigil on the private transporters ferrying children.

Marken said, “We had asked all private schools to implement the policy immediately but they requested for a time window. Therefore, we have asked them to implement the scheme by March 31. After that, action will be taken against the schools, if they failed to comply with the orders.” 

 Moreover, the schools have been told to give an affidavit regarding the implementation of the policy to the Child Welfare Department by March 31.

District Child Protection Officer Harpreet Kaur said, “We have directed the school principals to deploy a woman attendants in the school buses and install CCTV cameras.”

Ravee S Ahluwalia, Chief Functionary, Patiala Foundation, an NGO working for road safety, said, “The policy should be implemented in its entirety as soon as possible. In fact, many schools in the district, including the best ones, are not following the guidelines.”   

The guidelines

As per the scheme, all school buses, vans and auto-rickshaws should be painted in yellow with a green stripe all round. The vehicles ferrying schoolchildren should not be more than 15-year-old from the date of registration. The vehicle should be fitted with the approved speed governors, with a maximum speed limit of 40 km per hour. The vehicles should possess a contract carriage permit. Drivers of school vehicles need to have a valid licence to drive a transport vehicle for a period of at least four years.