The Uttar Pradesh government has initiated disciplinary proceedings against an assistant regional transport officer (ARTO) for allegedly holding up two school buses carrying students at the police lines in Chitrakoot district for nearly two hours, officials said. The government also suspended a regional inspector of the Transport Department over delay in issuing fitness certificates to the school buses, it is learnt. The buses transporting students from an inter college were impounded on Tuesday by a team led by Assistant Regional Transport Officer (Enforcement) Vivek Kumar Shukla since their fitness certificates had expired, the officials said. The buses were taken to the police lines nearly 10 kilometres away and remained there from 11:15 am to 1:05 pm. Gulab Chandra, the regional inspector (technical) who was suspended with immediate effect for alleged negligence, was directed to inspect the fitness of the buses and then issue fitness certificates but failed to do so, the officials said. Disciplinary action has been recommended against ARTO Vivek Kumar Shukla, they further said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath warned all government officials against any lapses in performing their duty. He sought to ensure zero tolerance towards officers and other employees involved in corruption or negligence. Meanwhile, a 15-day inspection drive by the Transport Department to examine school vehicles concluded on Monday. During the drive, a total of 56,758 school vehicles were inspected across the state between July 8 and 22. Of these, 12,710 vehicles did not meet the requisite standards. Of these, 2,389 vehicles were issued challans, 529 were impounded due to major issues. The department claimed to have collected penalties to the tune of Rs 97.87 lakh. Of the vehicles inspected, 6,410 were found fit and notices were being sent to their owners for compliance, the officials said. The government has stressed that if a school vehicle continues to operate despite being unfit, the owner will face action. Moreover, the managements of schools across the state have been instructed to ensure that unfit vehicles are not used to transport schoolchildren, it is learnt.
