Ranchi School Bus Safety Drive: Overcrowding & Violations Crackdown Before Summer Break

Ranchi: With the summer break approaching, the district transport office has intensified checks on school buses and vans across the city, cracking down on overcrowding and safety violations.

In a drive on Tuesday at Doranda, Hinoo and the High Court area, officials inspected 93 vehicles and imposed fines totalling Rs 2.04 lakh, while initiating further action against dozens of operators.

Officials said as many as 78 vehicles will also be issued notices for various violations, signalling stricter action in the coming days. Several of the vehicles inspected were associated with prominent institutions such as Kairali School, Oxford Public School and JVM Shyamali, among others.

The violations ranged from lack of valid driving licences and insurance papers to expired fitness certificates and pollution norm failures. Overcrowding and non-compliance with prescribed safety guidelines for school vans were also flagged during the drive.

“We have initiated a focused enforcement drive to ensure the safety of schoolchildren. A total of 93 vehicles were inspected, and penalties have been imposed wherever violations were found. Notices will be issued to 78 vehicle operators for further action,” said Akhilesh Kumar, district transport officer (DTO).

Authorities said the drive will continue in the coming days with increased intensity. “This is not a one-time action. We will continue checking vehicles regularly to ensure compliance with all safety norms,” Kumar added.

Responding to the enforcement drive, Rajesh Pillai, principal of Kairali School, said, “In view of revised school timings, arrivals and departures are happening simultaneously, which has led to some crowding in buses. We have instructed our transport department to address this and will deploy additional buses if required.”

The DTO has also issued a warning to school authorities and transport operators, asking them to rectify all deficiencies before the summer break begins. “Schools must use the vacation period to fix these issues. Vehicles without proper documents or those violating safety norms will not be allowed to operate once schools reopen,” he said.

Officials emphasised that ensuring safe transportation for students remains a priority, and any negligence in adhering to norms will invite strict penalties.