Officials on a drive to ensure safe travel for school students

A team, headed by an RTO official, in each district have started checking the fitness of school vehicles that transport children. Accordingly, teams at zonal level are conducting vehicle checks in schools in their jurisdiction. 

Condition of the vehicle, verification of fitness certificate, emergency exits, flooring, firstaid boxes and other aspects for safe journey of the children were being checked during the drive. Recently, the state government also ordered the fitting of GPS device in vehicles, including school vans and buses. 

Authorities would also ensure that every bus was of semi-saloon type with steel body and painted yellow. RTO official, along with other authorities, also made sure that the bus carried the name, address of the school and phone number. 

Apart from checking the footboard of the bus, the officials especially ensured the endurance of the floor board and availability of first aid box and fire  extinguishers. 

As part of the exercise, collectors also inspected the checking of buses. In Chennai, Collector V Anbuselvan monitored the inspection of school buses. Chennai collectorate sources said that the inspection report on school vehicles would be submitted by this week. Accordingly, the government would make a list of unfit buses, which would not be allowed to operate school trips.