‘Pool car owners not complying with government guidelines’

Asserting that the government will not compromise as the matter involves the security of school children,the Transport department today directed car operators not to use certain models of cars.

It also mandated that the cars use “display stickers” as provided by the Public Vehicles department.

“We want to maintain a registrar for the city’s pool cars. The vehicles which will carry schoolchildren without a PVD sticker will be penalised by the police,” said Kundu,adding: “The government will be able to better monitor the situation once such a mechanism is enforced.”

According to an official of the Transport department,“safety audit” has never been carried out for school buses plying on the city streets. “Now,it will be easier for officials to drag out cars not fit for carrying kids,” said the official. Kundi added: “The job is very difficult. But we are confident that we will do it in the near future.”

It was nearly three months ago that the Kolkata police had blamed the government for lack of proper regulations for pool cars.

Admitting that their hands were tied in the absence of stringent rules,a senior officer with the Traffic department said: “If we start checking school buses,we will be accused of harassing children. There is very little the police can do. Following the rules framed by the Transport department,the police will be able to book violators.”