Every vehicle being used to carry school children must be driven by a driver having a minimum experience of five years in driving such categories of vehicles and must not have any record of traffic offences. In addition, all the safety related provisions for the safe plying of students to school and back home must be efficiently implemented. This was stated by Chief Minister Shri Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the meeting of senior officers of the state government held here today regarding transportation safety issues pertaining to private schools.The Chief Minister said that the main focus should be on strengthening regulation of existing laws and guidelines applicable for buses and taxis and other means of transport for transportation of students by the private schools. He said that any violation in driving must be dealt with strictly. He said that there must be appropriate permits for the vehicles to carry students and the concerned authorities must launch campaign to tackle violations of the safety measures.Shri Jai Ram Thakur said that the high level committee constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to regulate traffic safety issues pertaining to private schools in the state must give its report with in four days so that the recommendations could be finalized and effectively enforced for the safety of students.He said that all the guidelines issued by the CBSE, Hon'ble Supreme Court and the National Disaster Management Authority would be effectively implemented.
He said that all the school buses should be first hand, in good condition and as per the specification laid down by the competent authorities. He said that effective feedback mechanism must be evolved to check and improve implementation of existing laws. All the buses owned by the private schools must be painted yellow and those owned by HRTC being used as school buses must have a boldly written 'School bus' on the front and rear of the buses.The Chief Minister said that the strict action should be taken against the vehicle carrying excess of its permitted sitting capacity. The buses plying students should have all the required equipments such as first aid box, fire extinguisher etc. He directed the officers to effectively enforce all the laws enacted for the safety of the children.He said that the committee should also recommend steps to be taken by private schools to involve parents and local community for safe transportation of students. Chief Secretary Shri Vineet Chawdhary who is the Chairman of the committee assured the Chief Minister that the committee will submit its suggestions with in the stipulated time period.Education Minister Shri Suresh Bhardwaj, Additional Chief Secretaries Smt. Manisha Nanda and Shri Ram Subhag Singh, ADGP Law and Order Shri Anurag, Managing Director HRTC Shri Sandeep Bhatnagar, AG Shri Ashok Sharma, Director Transport Shri B.C. Badhaliya, Deputy Commissioner Shimla Shri Amit Kashyap, Superintendent of Police Shimla Shri Omapati Tripathi, Director Education Shri Manmohan Sharma were also present on the occasion.