Transport authorities will make surprise visits to different schools in the city this week to make sure that students are transported safely.
According to K. Kalyanakumar, Regional Transport Officer (RTO) of Madurai North, a few school buses are yet to obtain fitness clearance. “The schools whose buses we are yet to clear have spare buses, and they will use them to transport children,” he said on Sunday.
At least three teams of transport officials from Madurai North, South and Central will visit schools to inspect private commercial vehicles such as auto rickshaws and maxi cabs that ferry children to schools.
“We decided not to interrupt auto rickshaws, tourist vans and maxi cabs outside because they will cause inconvenience to the students. Surprise visits to schools will be made and the vehicles that are not fit to transport children will be detained,” Mr. Kalyanakumar said.
Schools had also been strictly warned to ensure that students did not ride two-wheelers to schools, he added.
As per the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles (Regulation and Control of School Buses) Special Rules, 2012, nearly 500 school buses were inspected by authorities on May 21. As many as 383 buses were given clearance, whereas 100 buses were not given clearance due to minor defects.
The schools were given time to rectify the defects and obtain clearance from the authorities.
