Private school vehicles continue to violate SC guidelines

Close to '80 pc' private vehicles ferrying more children than allowed

Implementation of Supreme Court guidelines, with respect to vehicles ferrying children to schools, continues to remain on paper, with private vehicles continuing to ferry more children than the number stipulated by the Supreme Court.

While representatives of Private Carriages Owners Association acknowledge that guidelines are yet to be followed by private school vehicle drivers and owners, the Police department is yet to initiate any action.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Raghavendra M of the Association, said that close to 80 per cent of the vehicles continued to flout norms, despite instructions by the District Administration and the City Police.

“Following a meeting with officials in July, we had asked members of the Association to follow the Supreme Court guidelines. While a few vehicle drivers and owners have reduced the number of children being ferried in their vehicles, others have not agreed to do the same,” he said.

Corporator Snake Shyam, who had represented the Auto Association, said that it would be difficult for private vehicles to implement SC guidelines “all of a sudden”.
“Reducing the number of children in the middle of the academic year, will also be a problem for auto and maxicab/van drivers. More time is required for the vehicles to follow the guidelines,” he said. He added that all vehicles would follow guidelines from the next academic year.

Protest

It can be recalled that the private school vehicles had launched an indefinite stir in the month of July, against the implementation of SC guidelines in Mysore. As per the guidelines, the number of children that can be ferried in autos is six, while maxicab/vans can ferry ten children.

Following the protest, a meeting was convened on July 14, in which the City Police agreed to relax the norms until the end of August. As per relaxed norms, autos were allowed to ferry eight, and maxicabs ten children, after which autos had to follow the guidelines compulsorily.

Police Commissioner, M A Saleem said that the department would initiate action against erring parties, for the strict implementation of the guidelines.