KANPUR: A minibus carrying school children overturned owing to the driver’s recklessness at Musa Nagar in Kanpur Dehat on Friday. As many as six students were seriously injured. The driver’s license was not even checked after the incident leave aside the vehicle’s fitness. Were authorities concerned maintaining a careless attitude like the minibus driver? It was reported that they were not aware of this mishap even.
It was constantly pointed out that the vehicle’s fitness was tested only in the months of July and August respectively. Though Rakesh Singh, RTO (Enforcement) revealed that there would begin a drive against the unfit school buses this week. He also said no laxity was observed in fitness check of the vehicles. Action against private school vehicles was initiated from time to time.
The surprising thing was that the authorities concerned were not known to the latest mishap. Way back on December 7, 2018, one bus caught fire after collision with a bike in Barra here. On August 20, 2018, several children received injuries in a sudden overturning of the school bus at Amaur of Ghatampur area.
Despite strict order of the apex court and the state government, the transport department does not show responsibility in cancelling the movement of unfit school vehicles on the road. There are a total of 569 school buses, 336 minibuses, 185 Omni vans, 25 motor cabs and 11 motor cars running on the city roads. In the last year’s fitness check, the validity of 57 vehicles was found to be over. A notice was also issued to the schools. The defined standard was never adhered to by the vehicles. Not all the vehicles phone numbers of the school. Grill on the vehicle window was seldom seen. Neither Speed alarm nor speed governor was used. Fire fighting kit and first aid box were also not kept.
