The Haryana Transport Ministry plans to initiate a campaign to inspect the condition of all school buses and is also contemplating the idea of installing Alcometers to detect if drivers are intoxicated.
This move comes after a tragic school bus accident in Haryana’s Mahendragarh, which resulted in the deaths of six students and injuries to 15 others.
Haryana Transport Minister Aseem Goel announced the launch of a fitness campaign for school buses.
On the Mahendragarh school bus accident, Haryana Transport Minister Aseem Goel said, “The transport department is working continuously. A campaign to check the fitness of all school buses will be started from April 20.”
“We also said yesterday that as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court, we will also ensure CCTV cameras and speedometers. And we are also considering provision of Alco meter and drivers getting tested two time a day If they had consumed alcohol or not,” he added.
Talking about school’s response in regard to the campaign he said, “This will be a collective responsibility of all from school to transporters and parents as well. All schools are cooperating with us as everyone cares for child and want to ensure their safety.”
Previously, on Thursday, the state’s Education Minister Seema Trikha stated that a show-cause notice had been issued to the school, and all private schools are required to furnish an affidavit affirming that their vehicles comply with transportation regulations and standards.
“I want to tell the whole state that today a show cause notice has been issued to the school and apart from that, we have taken self-affidavits from the private schools. Second, they have to provide an affidavit of the transportation vehicle saying that their vehicles functioned according to the transport rules and norms, third, whoever is driving their vehicles, if they are found drunk, then they (schools) will hold the responsibility,” ANI quoted Education Minister Trikha.
Trikha further emphasized that in the case of the Mahendragarh bus accident, an FIR will be filed against both the driver and the school principal and owner.
Additionally, RTA Assistant Secretary Pradeep Kumar was immediately suspended following the tragic incident.