Mumbai, August 23: Mumbai’s Regional Transport Office (RTO) has discovered that not one of the 40,000-odd school bus operators in the city have sought permits to transport children in the city.
The startling fact came to light during RTO’s recent check on private bus operators to see if stipulated safety norms were being adhered to.
The discovery could inconvenience students who use such private vehicles, in the weeks ahead, as the RTO could refuse to let them ply.
DANGEROUS: RTO will ban operators, who ply without a permit, as safety norms go askew.
A notice, a copy of which is with MiD DAY, was issued by the RTO to schools in the city on June 29. However, not a single vehicle owner has applied for a permit so far.
A senior RTO official told this reporter that the department will now check on all vehicles used to transport children to school, and illegal operators may be barred from plying.
“Had safety norms been followed, the school bus fire accident at Panvel on Thursday that left 19 students injured, could have been avoided,” the official said.
A principal of a local school, who did not want to be named, pointed out that the rules laid down by RTO officials are not foolproof.
“The grills that have been declared mandatory for vehicle windows could hamper rescue operations.
Again having one door, instead of the standard two could come in the way of a swift rescue during accidents and fires,” he said.
—Agencies