Checks on school buses in Gurgaon for 15 days after rights panel order

Gurgaon: A districtwide audit of school buses operated by private schools began on Monday, with authorities inspecting 105 vehicles on the first day of a 15-day enforcement drive aimed at ensuring student safety.Notices were issued to school managements and vehicle operators where safety deficiencies were found and they were given one week to rectify the lapses or face action under the Motor Vehicles Act and the Safe School Vehicle Policy. Officials said deficiencies of varying nature and severity were found in almost all the buses inspected during the first day of the drive.Assistant secretary, regional transport authority (RTA), Harender Veer, said the vehicles would be reinspected after the deadline.

If the deficiencies remain unaddressed, authorities will initiate action against the schools and vehicle operators.The campaign, launched on the directions of the Haryana Human Rights Commission and supervised by the district administration, will cover nearly 4,500 registered school buses operating across the district.During Monday’s inspections, officials checked vehicle registration, fitness certificates, permits, insurance, drivers’ licences, medical fitness certificates, police verification records and the availability of attendants or helpers.

Teams also verified mandatory safety equipment, including speed governors, GPS devices, fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, emergency exits, reflective tapes, prescribed school bus markings and emergency contact details.The joint inspection teams comprise the DCP (traffic), RTA’s assistant secretary, general manager of Haryana Roadways, SDMs or their representatives from Gurgaon, Badshahpur, Pataudi, Manesar and Sohna, the district education officer or nominee, and the road safety officer.The drive assumes significance as schools have reopened after the summer vacation and follows concerns over compliance with mandatory safety norms in school transport. Authorities said inspections will continue over the next two weeks until all 4,500 buses are audited.During a similar audit conducted in May and June, officials found several buses operating without GPS tracking systems. Many also lacked functional CCTV cameras and horizontal safety grilles, while some had damaged emergency exits. Other violations included illegal tinted windows, batteries installed without protective covers to prevent the leaking of fumes, expired medicines in first-aid kits and the absence of mandatory school identification markings.Officials also found that some schools had not completed police verification of drivers and helpers, while mandatory vehicle documents were either incomplete or had expired.