R. Thulasidharan Pillai, Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Kollam, has said that the Transport Department will regularly keep a vigil on compliance to school bus rules and attitude of private bus crew to students. It would not be a mere exercise during school-reopening time.
He told The Hindu that most school buses and private school van operators were under the impression that inspections would be lax after one of two days into school reopening.
“This year it will be carried out regularly,” he said. RTO squads would carry out inspections to ensure that rules were not being violated.
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On Wednesday, RTO check slips were issued to 250 vehicles operated by the school managements in the city and peripheral areas after a formal checking was held at the Asramam maidan.
These vehicles will have to display the slips on the body of the vehicles. He said that for the next couple of days, private school vans would be checked since the rules were applicable to those vehicles too though there was no restriction as such for them. The drivers of these vehicles would also have to follow rules regarding parking in the vicinity of the schools, Mr. Pillai said.
The behaviour of private bus crew towards students would be watched and strong action would be initiated if there were complaints. He said an ad hoc committee had discussed in detail the ways to rein in private bus crew.
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