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Transporting school children is a very sensitive issue, and it is essential to strictly adhere to all bus safety norms to keep students safe and provide them with a safer environment, said Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar during a meeting of the District School Transport Safety Committee held at his office on Wednesday.

During the meeting, many senior officials were present, including Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma, Additional Commissioner Manoj Patil, DCP Dr Sandeep Bhajibhakare, Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Archana Gaikwad, Pune Deputy RTO Swapnil Bhosale, Pimpri-Chinchwad RTO Sandesh Chavan, Baramati Deputy RTO Surendra Nikam, and education officers from the municipal corporations, district councils and nagar parishads.

While addressing them, Kumar said that the safety of schoolchildren travelling in school buses and other vehicles used for transporting them was their responsibility. "Installation of CCTV cameras in each school bus, especially for those transporting children below six years, and the deployment of female attendants is mandatory. Moreover, a thorough police verification of drivers, conductors, and cleaners is required. The drivers must be well-trained, good in nature, and have a clean background," added Kumar.

"School Transport Committees need to pay attention to certain standards, ensuring character checks, vision tests, and medical examinations of both drivers and attendants," he said.

Furthermore, Kumar instructed the education department to review the establishment of transport committees at the school level. "Intensive inspections of school buses must be undertaken, and a special campaign should be started to verify private vehicles involved in student transportation. If anyone is found violating the rules, strict action will be taken against them," added Kumar.

Meanwhile, highlighting the action taken over the violation of safety norms, Deputy RTO Swapnil Bhosale said, "From January 1 to May 31, 2025, the transport department inspected 1,321 school buses and 650 other vehicles. Of these, 414 school buses and 208 other vehicles were found violating norms, leading to penalties amounting to ₹55 lakh."