Ensure number of buses for kids is increased: Madras High Court

Chennai: Directing the transport authority to ensure that children do not board overcrowded buses in a manner which is risky to their life and personal safety, Madras high court has said the number of buses exclusively for children operating during the school hours would have to be increased.

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice R. Hemalatha disposed of the suo motu public interest litigation initiated pursuant to the photographs and news item published in a newspaper of children hanging dangerously from the foot board and even windows of buses operated by one of public transport corporations.

The bench had on November 23, initiated the suo motu PIL after advocate R.Y. George Williams brought to the notice of the bench the newspaper reports and the photographs.

Noting that the transport corporation buses carry 1.93 crore passengers including school/college children every day, the bench said the buses operated are obviously not adequate to meet the demand. 

Tamil Nadu government has extended 100 per cent free travel to school children in the transport corporation buses. However, merely providing free transport is not enough. The authorities concerned are also required to ensure the safety of children travelling in buses, the bench added. The number of buses exclusively for children operating during the school hours would has to be increased. Such buses should be exclusively for school children, the others might only be allowed to board the buses, if there was sufficient space after the children were accommodated and in the event there was demand from children, they would have to get down to make room for the children for whom the buses were operated, the bench added.

 The bench said the authorities shall ensure that children are not allowed to board overcrowded buses. Also, buses should not ply with children hanging dangerously out. The government may consider starting special routes, which terminates with educational institutions only for the benefit of children, the bench added.