Second phase: Inspection of school vehicles in Chennai to resume today

According to a transport department official, the joint inspection committee comprising transport, police, education and revenue, checked the height of the footboard, strength of the floor, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, speed governor, driver cabin, seats, bag racks, windows, windows grill, first aid box and emergency exits.

The official said that vehicles which failed to meet the standards prescribed in the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles (Regulation and Control of School Buses) Special Rules 2012 would be inspected again on Monday and Tuesday in the city. “We have temporarily suspended the fitness certificate for these vehicles.

The institutions which owns those buses and vans can re-apply for the fitness certificates after undertaking necessary repair works,” the official said, adding that all the vehicles plying school students would be inspected before the reopening of the school. The official said that the vehicles which passed the fitness examination have been pasted with ‘OK sticker’ for identification.

In Tamil Nadu, over 32,000 buses and vans are operated by schools. Every year a fitness examination is being conducted by a joint inspection committee to check the school buses and vans transporting children for roadworthiness.