Safe school bus on 1st gear

Even though the transport department has set the ball rolling for the implementation of the long-delayed school bus policy, private operators, who own almost 90% of school buses in the city, have complained that several changes mandated by the policy will unduly add to their financial burden.

Some of them, claims the association of bus operators, are needless, and even risky for the school children.

Talking to DNA on Friday after the first meeting of stakeholders — school principals and bus operators — organised by the transport department, Anil Garg, president of school bus operators’ association, said, “About 70% of recommendations in the policy are acceptable to us. The government should revise the rest as they are needless, impractical and add to our burden.” This resistance could mean a further delay in the implementation of the policy.

According to Garg, 3,340 vehicles like Maruti Omnis, Tata Sumos, Qualis etc, illegally ferry students, while 2,200 dedicated buses are run by school managements and private operators. Another 4,500 operate as both company and school buses.

Outlining his argument, Garg said, “Our expenses will double in implementing the policy recommendations. Until now, we needed only a driver and a male attendant, but now we will have to also hire a lady attendant for the girls.”

When told that the government has given a tax incentive for buses which run only for school children, Garg said, “The incentive serves no purpose because the policy also mandates a 68% increase in the insurance amount. The capping of the plying term of the bus to eight years is also another area of contention. If we are being made to pay a ‘green tax’, why should the bus’s life be so short? Can the manufacturers not be asked to make good quality buses instead, which last longer?”

The rule to install speed governors was also criticised by Garg.

“Speed governors are costly. Also, in a city choked with traffic, why should they be made compulsory?” Another city-specific problem he talked about was the low-floored buses. “Bad roads and big speed breakers damage the body of such buses.”

Garg also had problems with the mandatory changes in design.

“The hand-rails cannot be installed near the entrance because the doors, when opened, occupy the space inside leaving no room for the rails,” he said, and added that the fire extinguishers should not be kept near the emergency exit window as children may play with it and get hurt in the process.

Bus body builders, though, seem to have a different opinion about the policy. Prasad Patkar of Rubi Rushi body maker, said, “The policy is good for students’ safety. The expenses for making minor design changes should not be too much,” he said.

Activist and policy maker Indrani Malkani, who was a part of the committee that framed the school bus policy, said, “There can be no compromise on the issue of school children’s’ safety.”