Week-Long Special Drive To Check School Bus Safety In Odisha From Tomorrow

Bhubaneswar: A week-long special drive to check the safety parameters of buses and other vehicles ferrying students to schools will begin on April 20. The drive by the Transport Department will last for 7 days, except Sunday, officials said on Tuesday.

During the drive, being conducted under the direction of Transport Commissioner, all vehicles will be strictly checked by the Regional Transport Officers (RTOs).

Informing about the drive and the different criteria that the vehicles will have to meet, Joint Commissioner, Transport, Road Safety, Sanjay Biswal said all RTOs have been instructed inspect every school bus.

The school bus will have to furnish valid permits and fitness certificates. If any errors are found, the shipping will be reported to the state transport authority. Not only school buses, other small vehicles will also be monitored by transport officials.

It is mandatory for the vehicles to have a GPS, speed monitoring system, fire extinguisher and sets should be clean and at a safe distance from each other, said Biswal.

Biswal said challans will be issued against vehicles plying without a valid certificate of fitness, permit, insurance, PUC certificate and tax. Action will also be taken against vehicles carrying excess students than capacity, driving without licence and violating other provisions of law.