School Bus Owners’ Association to protest against state government’s discriminatory attitude towards the buses and for favouring van service providers; alleges Maharashtra issuing permits to latter despite Centre terming them illegal
Representation pic
Over 8,000 school buses in Mumbai will go off roads from August 1, as the School Bus Owners’ Association will go on strike to protest contradictory norms by the state. The association says while the Centre has banned vans as school vehicles, the state’s RTOs continue to issue permits to such vehicles.
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The association has also complained about how school buses have to undergo vehicle fitness tests twice a year and are needed to introduce different facilities to ensure children’s safety, like bus attendants and covering windows, but vans, on the other hand, are exempt from all this, because they are not listed as school vehicles in the first place.
The grievances
The SBOA has been protesting against the use of vans as school vehicles. "In 2016, the central government issued an order stating that as per the Central Motor Vehicles Act 2016, vans should not run as school vehicles because they are not safe for children. But that hasn’t stopped them from plying in the city and across Maharashtra. Why? Because only in Maharashtra are they given permits; in other states, they are illegal. Why’s the state government not adhering to the central government’s guidelines?" questioned SBOA president Anil Garg.
He confirmed that over 8,000 school buses from Mumbai would go on strike because of this discriminatory attitude adopted by the state towards the two types of vehicles ferrying schoolchildren.
Garg added, "Because we are registered as vehicles running for schoolchildren, we are expected to meet all the guidelines laid down to ensure their safety. But for vans, there are no such guidelines. Why are we burdened then with mandates of complying with all the regulations?
"School buses face action if found unsafe, but vans continue to run without fear. Van owners even stuff their vehicles with children more than the capacity, and yet, there is no crackdown on them."
The strike next month is against the state government and the contradictory norms followed in Maharashtra. pic for representation
In defence
City RTOs, however, defended their issuance of permits to vans, saying it was as per a high court order, even if it contradicts the Centre’s order.
Assistant regional transport officer Mahendra Patil said, "This year, no new vans have been given permits. After the central government issued an order last year, stating that any vehicle with fewer than 13 seats won’t be allowed to run as a school vehicle, the Bombay High Court, a month ago, cleared the air and said that if a van service provider has a valid safety contract with the school, for which he is providing his services, then the van can be given a permit. We are following HC’s order."
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