Telangana: 3,700 school buses yet to be certified for fitness

Hyderabad: About 3,727 school buses are yet to be examined by RTA officials for fitness before the beginning of the new academic year.

The city has nearly 10,500 school busses with several educational institutes in GHMC limits falling under Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medchal districts.

The transport department began sending letters to the managements of schools and educational institutions for sending their vehicles to the concerned RTA offices for renewal of fitness. So far about 70 per cent of the institutes responded to the letters and have been sending their busses for fitness.

Till Monday, 3,100 buses were given  fitness certificates in Ranga Reddy district of the 4,350 followed by Hyderabad (805/2,059) and Medchal (3,050/4,100).

An official source from the transport department said that with the resources and infrastructure available with RTA offices, 250 buses could get fitness per day. “There are only five working days left for the certification before the new academic year starts. The transport staff may inspect at least 1,250 school buses for fitness. The remaining may get fitness after June 12. Our task force team will raid those buses which do not have fitness after June 12,” the source said.

Ranga Reddy District Transport Officer Muppala Praveen Rao said that as per the new rule imposed by the Central government, the IT wing of transport department upgraded software to ensure denying fitness to buses that are over 15 years old. “The software itself declares such buses deemed to be unfit for carrying students. The decision comes in view of safety of students,” he said. Hyderabad Traffic DCP A.V. Ranganath said that the department was holding counselling sessions with managements of the institutes.

Checking drive starts next week
The transport department and traffic wing from the Tri-Commissionerates are getting ready for enforcement drives against violation by buses and auto-rickshaws carrying students with the start of the academic year across GHMC limits.

Hyderabad traffic DCP A.V. Ranganath said that from June 12, special teams would be formed to hold special drives against educational institute buses and auto-rickshaws. “We do it every year. Before going for raids, we educate drivers and school managements,” he said.

Ranga Reddy DTO M. Praveen Rao said that Motor Vehicles Inspectors at Kondapur and Ibrahimpatnam were creating awareness among school bus drivers. “As per the motor vehicle rules, school bus driver should be below 60 years having at least five years’ of experience. We are holding counseling sessions for all the  drivers who come to our offices for fitness of buses. So far, we have counselled about 3,000 drivers in Ranga Reddy district,” he said.

Mr. Praveen Rao said, “As per the Motor Vehicle Rule 389 (A), auto-rickshaw drivers can carry eight children (below 12 years of age) and 6 children (age between 12 and 14 years). We shall be focusing on auto-rickshaws and school busses,” he said.