Pimpri-Chinchwad, June 17, 2023: With the commencement of the new academic year, schools in Pimpri-Chinchwad have opened their doors to students once again. However, worries regarding the safety of school transportation have emerged as the transport department displays indifference towards inspecting vehicles that carry students.
In a recent circular issued by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Transport Department, a school vehicle inspection drive was announced. However, there is a lack of information about the number of vehicles that have successfully passed the inspection and obtained the necessary fitness certificate. This lack of clarity has sparked serious concerns regarding the safety of students who rely on these vehicles for transportation.
The circular outlines the safety regulations and document requirements for vehicles involved in student transportation. However, no specific deadline has been provided for the completion of the vehicle inspections.
Pimpri-Chinchwad city is home to over three thousand registered school vehicles. All these vehicles are required to undergo thorough inspections and obtain a Certificate of Fitness as mandated by government regulations. The inspections cover various criteria, including the bus’s color, internal structure, seating capacity, and speed control system. Only when a vehicle meets all the necessary criteria is it issued a fitness certificate, indicating its suitability for transporting students.
Shockingly, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) does not possess any data on the number of school buses in the city that have obtained the inspected fitness certificates. This raises doubts about the safety of these buses and whether they are indeed fit for transporting students. Moreover, questions arise regarding the accountability of relevant parties in the unfortunate event of an accident involving an unfit bus.
In response to the situation, the transport department has assured that appropriate action will be taken against school buses that fail to comply with the safety regulations.
The safety and well-being of students should be of utmost importance to all stakeholders involved. It is imperative that the Pimpri-Chinchwad Transport Department promptly addresses these concerns by conducting thorough inspections, ensuring compliance with safety regulations, and providing transparency regarding the fitness certification process. Only by doing so can the city’s school transportation system regain the trust and confidence of students, parents, and the community at large.
