Guidelines to check overloading in vehicles ferrying students

LUCKNOW: Overloaded school rickshaws won’t be visible on the streets any more as the district administration has issued strict guidelines to the schools and the owners of vehicles, directing them not to accommodate children more than the permissible limit.

Besides, the administration has also formed a committee that comprises of Regional Transport Office (RTO) and other departments to keep a check on the erring school vehicles. Officials with the district administration said, the decision has been taken following the rise in the accidents of the school vehicles.

“School vehicle accidents are

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The departments would ensure that the school van or other school vehicle driver carries driving licence.

KAUSHAL RAJ SHARMA, DM

on the rise; hence it’s an attempt to ensure safety to the school goers, also to bring down the number of fatalities,” said Kaushal Raj Sharma, district magistrate.

In the meeting with the RTO, transport department and traffic police personnel, DM also issued strict guidelines to the school vehicles, directing not to accommodate children more than the permissible limit. “Overloading has been a major cause, found common in many of the road accidents. Hence, the school vehicles have been directed to restrict the number of kids ferried in the vehicles,” said Sharma.

Sharma said school rickshaws carrying 12 or even more children is perhaps a common sight. “It would be ensured that the school rickshaw doesn’t ferry more than three children at a time,” he added.

Besides, he also directed the officials to ensure fitness of the school vehicles and to seize the vehicles if found overloaded.

“Other than this, the departments would also ensure that the school van or other school vehicle driver carries driving license,” he said.