School bus drivers told to turn on AC

GURUGRAM: With complaints pouring in from parents that their wards are finding it difficult to travel in school buses as

the drivers do not turn on airconditioners, especially now when the city is reeling under a heatwave, the district administration has decided to hold a meeting with all educational institutes across the city this week to discuss the issue and also form four teams to check whether school buses are keeping the AC on while ferrying students.

Many parents said they approached schools and complained about ACs not being turned on in the school buses, but it had little effect on the authorities. The parents then approached the district administration and sought its intervention in the matter.

Nilesh Tandon, a resident of Sector 50, said his children told him that the AC in their school bus is not working and they are suffering from severe headaches due to the heat. “We have complained to the school but nothing has been done. The children have been travelling on the bus for nearly 15 days now” he said.

Sandeep Kumar, a resident of Sector 43, said his daughter now refuses to board the school bus as it stinks and is not well maintained. “It is not easy for any child to sit in a bus for more than half-an-hour when there is no ventilation. Why should we shell out more for school buses if they keep the ACs off?” said Kumar.

Officials said that schools are charging more for AC buses but are not switching them on.

Deputy commissioner of Gurugram Nishant Kumar Yadav said four teams have been formed to check whether school buses are keeping the ACs on while ferrying children. The teams — comprising a subdivisional magistrate, a traffic police official, a road safety officer, and an official from the Road Transport Authority — will check school buses to see if the driver and the attendants are properly handling children. “...We want to check if school buses ferrying students are following the norms listed under the Surakshit School Vahan policy; if not strict action will be taken against the drivers and school authorities,” said Yadav. The Haryana government formulated the ‘Surakshit School Vahan’ policy to ensure safer transportation of schoolgoing children in the state.

“We have compiled a list of 500 schools, which are providing transport facilities,” said Yadav, adding they will give a week’s time to the schools to comply with the rules else they will face strict action.

Meanwhile, the district administration has directed the traffic police to keep a check on the school buses plying on the roads and penalise drivers for violations.