Even after fire mishap, Panvel schools yet to implement bus rules

On August 20, 2009, a school bus ferrying children to CKT High School in Panvel caught fire following a short-circuit. While four students died in the hospital, 20 suffered severe burns.

Two years later, parents are still worried about the safety of their children who travel in schools buses. Reason: Most schools in Panvel and Navi Mumbai do not follow the state guidelines for school buses.

“It is time that parents and education officers take an initiative,” said an  official from the regional transport office.

As per the gazette, every school should have a transport committee to look into the matters pertaining to safe transportation of students, transportation fee and identification of bus stops. The committee should also verify the documents and safety measures of all vehicles.

But, only two schools in Navi Mumbai have set up transport committees. Besides, each district should have a district school bus safety committee, which will discuss, decide and recommend issues pertaining to the safety of children and their transportation.“Before setting up the transport committee, the schools have to inform us and include an official from the RTO on the panel. But, except Anchorwala Education Academy  and New Bombay Primary school in Vashi, no school has informed us about them setting up such a committee,” said Sanjay Raut, Vashi deputy RTO.

“The education officers should take a note of this and initiate the formation of such committees,” he added.

CV Bhanumati, principal of Anchorwala Education Academy in Vashi, said: “The safety of children is important to us. It was a government order and we are bound to follow it. We had conducted the first meeting on November 19 and after three months we will conduct again, as per rules.”

Echoed Sindhu Chandeka, principal of New Bombay High School: “We have buses under contracts and have ensured that they follow the rules. We had formed the transport committee in September.”

The situation is worse in Panvel. “None of the schools here have formed a transport committee despite being informed about the gazette,” said N Naik, Panvel deputy RTO.