250 school buses impounded for violation of rules

NEW DELHI: After the incident of Ryan International School in Gurugram, Delhi Transport enforcement department expedited to crack down illegal flouting of norms and rules by private school vehicles, and has impounded 250 school buses, including 10 of Ryan International Group of Institutions, during its ongoing drive against errant school buses, a senior government official said on Friday.

The drive against flouting of norms and rules by private school buses was launched after the rape of a five-year-old girl at her school in Shahdara and the killing of a seven- year-old boy in Gurugram where a school bus conductor has been arrested for the murder of the boy.

Efforts to get Ryan International Groups comments elicited no response. Enforcement teams found that some drivers were not carrying PSV (public service vehicle) badges and some conductors did not meet the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court, the official said. As per the rules, the conductor of a school bus requires a license and must be 10th pass.

The Delhi government formed a high-level committee to look into safety aspects, including transportation of children at schools. "There will be no compromise with safety and security of children and more stringent measures will be taken in future," a government source said.

The high-level committee of the government headed by the director of its Directorate of Education (DoE) has proposed amendments in the School Cab Policy, 2007, to make schools answerable for buses and cabs ferrying school children. According to transport department officials, over 10,000 private buses and cabs were hired for ferrying school children in the city.

The drive against these vehicles has been launched in view of their "compromised" safety measures and other violations. Besides buses, cabs and vans carrying school children have also been impounded by the enforcement teams.