In order to keep a check on bus drivers and ensure safety of students, the State Road Transport Authority (RTA) here has made it mandatory for all schools to enter information about their institutions and their bus drivers.
The move also comes in the light of the Masaipet bus accident last year, wherein 18 persons, including 16 children, were killed.
“Till now, we never knew who is driving a school bus, or whether he is the regular driver or not. Also, it is important for us to know their backgrounds to ensure that they have proper licenses to operate those vehicles,” mentioned a senior RTA official. He further stated that it is also important for parents as well to know who is driving the bus that their children travel in everyday.
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Now, all the schools that are operating buses, for which they require fitness certificates, will have to visit the RTA’s website and fill in details of the drivers and the institutions. The data will also include information about principals of all the schools seeking the certificates, said the senior official. “They also have to mention who the attenders are. This way, we will know if any school hires unqualified persons,” he added.
As of now, there are about 1,800 buses in the Greater Hyderabad area and about 8,000 buses in Ranga Reddy district, said the official. “Registration will bring the much-needed discipline. It’s a very simple process,” said Transport Commissioner Sandeep Kumar Sultania.
Asks all the schools to give complete details of the drivers and institutions