Challaned: 162 school buses in three months

Over the last two months STA has served notices to nine UT schools for hiring drivers with less than five years’ driving experience.

STA Secretary Mahavir Kaushik informed that only two schools — Guru Harkrishan School and Kids-R-Kids School — have so far sent letters of compliance,after hiring new drivers and sending copies of their driving licences. Asked what action the authorities have taken against the other schools for not reverting,Kaushik said,“We expect the schools to respond in 45 days of issuance of the notice. Seven of the schools have failed to show compliance. We will now issue a reminder notice to the rest of the schools.”

He added,“If these schools fail to comply with the rules within another 30 days,the permit of their buses will be cancelled.” When questioned,the schools that have not responded to the notices within the expected period shifted the blame to the contractors of the buses.

“All these buses run on a contractual basis in our school. So it is more of an outsourced service. We have appointed a transport in-charge who keeps a check on whether these bus drivers and conductors are complying with the guidelines or not. Our responsibility lies in ensuring that the children board the bus safely. Notices have been served to the drivers and they need to take up the responsibility of replying,” said Charles Samuel,principal of Mount Carmel School,Sector 47.

St Stephen’s School Principal G Jacob said,“Our bus services are all outsourced. So far no such notice has reached us. We are not aware of the issue. The contractors must have received it. We will look into the matter now.”

The STA had issued a list of guidelines,as directed by the Road Transport Ministry,to school authorities across the city on June 3. The challans have been issued to the school buses during random checks conducted by STA officials.