After the Thane and Badlapur incidents, the State government plans to implement new regulations for private school buses starting the next academic year. The new norms may require buses to have panic buttons, fire prevention sprinklers, GPS tracking, and CCTV cameras.
A one-member committee, led by retired transport officer Jitendra Patil, has been appointed for this task. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik stated on Monday that the committee must submit its report within a month.
“Thousands of school buses operate under private institutions across the state for student transportation, and the transport department has received several complaints about financial exploitation by private bus operators,” said Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik.
In response, a meeting was held in Mumbai on Monday under Sarnaik’s chairmanship at the transport department.
Hingna: School Bus Hits 6-Year-Old, Govt Plans Stricter Rules
A six-year-old boy, Jagat Naresh Chavan, was injured after being hit by a private school bus at Yerangaon bus stop on Hingna-Kavdas road around 9:30 am on Monday. He was taken to a private hospital in Nagpur and is in stable condition.
In response to rising safety concerns, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced new guidelines for school buses from the next academic year. The 2011 Madan Committee’s recommendations on regulating student transport will also be reviewed.
Key concerns include excessive transport fees, with parents paying a full year’s fee upfront despite buses operating for only 10 months. Many parents suggest a monthly payment system.
Following recent incidents in Panvel and Badlapur, the government is pushing for mandatory safety features in school buses, including panic buttons, fire sprinklers, GPS, and CCTV cameras. Institutions collecting transportation fees must also have centralized CCTV control to enhance student safety.
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