Guidelines for school buses: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued new guidelines for operating school buses while disposing of public interest litigation (PIL) in connection with the tragic death of four children after a Delhi Public School (DPS) bus jumped over and crossed a road divider in Indore in 2018.
Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Binod Kumar Dwivedi of the Indore Bench disposed of six public interest litigations related to the DPS bus accident on Wednesday.
Madhya Pradesh High Court issues guidelines
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued several guidelines for school buses operating in the state, mandating that they be equipped with GPS systems and CCTV cameras. These measures will allow parents to track the buses through their mobile phones, ensuring greater safety and accountability.
"There is no specific provision for registration, permit and special conditions for school buses," a division bench of Justices Vivek Rusia and Binod Kumar Dwivedi said.
"Therefore, till the State Government makes provisions by way of amendments in the Madhya Pradesh Motor Vehicles Rules, 1994, this Court in exercise of powers conferred under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, for the safety of children travelling in the buses belonging to the private and Government educational institutions, coaching centres, sports academy and local bodies, etc, we deem it appropriate to frame the guidelines," it said.
Prohibits use of school buses that are more than 12 years old
The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued guidelines on Wednesday, prohibiting the use of school buses that are more than 12 years old. "No school bus shall be more than 12 years old. The school buses shall operate within the prescribed speed limit. Each bus shall be fitted with a speed governor," the court observed.
"The school buses shall be operated by drivers who have held permanent driving licenses and have a minimum of five years of experience in driving heavy vehicles," the court said.
Guidelines for drivers
It also mandated that drivers with past fines for offences such as overspeeding and drunken driving should not be employed. These measures are part of the court's effort to ensure safer transport for students.
"Drivers who have been challaned (fined) on more than two occasions in one year for offences like violating the lane system violating signal lights, should not be employed," the order read.
"A driver who has been fined even once for the offence of over speeding, drunken driving and dangerous driving shall not be employed. An affidavit to this effect shall be obtained by the educational institution from the driver of the vehicle," the court said.
On January 5, 2018, a speeding DPS bus jumped over the divider of the bypass road in the Kanadia area of Indore and entered the other side lane before colliding with a truck coming from the opposite direction. The bus driver and four school children aged between six and 13 years were killed in the accident.
(With PTI inputs)
