To protect the interests of parents troubled by the arbitrary decisions of school bus owners, the government has decided to prepare guidelines for school buses. Before the start of the upcoming academic session, new guidelines will be implemented.
Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has announced the formation of a one-member committee, chaired by retired transport officer Jitendra Patil, to draft new regulations for school buses. This committee must submit its report within a month. The report will also include recommendations from the 2011 Madan Committee, which aimed to control the arbitrary behavior of auto-rickshaw drivers transporting students. According to Sarnaik, school bus regulations will be enforced for the next academic session based on the committee’s report.
Demand to Charge Fees for 10 Months Instead of 12
The Transport Department has been receiving continuous complaints from parents across the state against privately operated school buses. Most complaints state that students attend school for 10 months, yet bus operators charge for the entire year. Additionally, parents face financial difficulties due to the demand for lump sum payment of annual fees. Parents have urged bus operators to charge fees only for 10 months instead of 12 and to allow monthly payments instead of a one-time full payment.
Increase in School Bus Fares
The School Bus Owners’ Association has already announced an 18% fare hike for the upcoming academic session. According to the association’s president, Anil Garg, the fare hike is due to rising bus purchase costs, increased maintenance expenses due to poor road conditions, and higher employee wages. Additionally, mandatory safety measures such as GPS systems, CCTV cameras, and other security equipment have raised operational costs. Parking charges have also doubled, leading to an inevitable fare increase.
Student Safety is Important
During a meeting with the Transport Minister at the Secretariat, concerns were raised over recent incidents in Panvel and Badlapur. The demand for necessary security arrangements in school buses was highlighted. This includes installing panic buttons, fire sprinkler systems, tracking systems, and CCTV cameras. Additionally, continuous monitoring of CCTV footage was emphasized to prevent any untoward incidents in a timely manner.
