Police start verifying credentials of private school bus drivers, staff

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, April 13

The Punjab Police have started verifying credentials of drivers and staff of buses and vans of private schools. “A drive has been initiated to prepare a road worthiness report of school transport vehicles. We have sought a list of private schools having their own transport from the District Education Office here,” said Satinder Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Amritsar (Rural).

In the aftermath of the school bus mishap that snuffed out lives of six children in Mahendragarh, Haryana, two days ago, the Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights directed all deputy commissioners, police commissioners and SSPs to ensure the road worthiness of school buses and vans as per the Safe School Vahan Scheme. The commission asked officials to submit a report in this regard within 20 days.

The police have been instructed to check whether drivers of school buses have a valid driving licence and other requisite documents of vehicles or if they consume any drug. Drivers will also undergo a dope test. —Satinder Singh, SSP, Amritsar (Rural)

SSP Satinder Singh said, “The police have been instructed to check whether drivers of school buses have a valid driving licence and other requisite documents of vehicles or if they consume any drug. Drivers will also undergo a dope test.”

The police would also check vehicles and verify whether these fulfilled norms under the Safe School Vahan Scheme cleared by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the SSP said.

He said vehicles, which do not comply with the norms, would be impounded. He said appropriate action would be initiated against those responsible for allowing such vehicles to ferry schoolchildren.

As per the Safe School Vahan Scheme, school managements and principals were responsible for ensuring road worthiness of the school transport. Besides, it was responsibility of parents to ensure that their wards travel in safe school buses and vans.

Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Police Commissioner (CP), said, “We have received instructions from the government to check school transport vehicles. Every vehicle ferrying schoolchildren, including three wheelers, will be checked for road worthiness.”