10 Ryan International school buses among 250 impounded

New Delhi : The Delhi government’s transport department has impounded 250 school buses, including 10 of Ryan International Group of Institutions, during its ongoing drive against errant school vehicles, a senior government official said today.

The drive against flouting of norms and rules by private school buses was launched after the rape of a five-year-old girl at her school in Shahdara and the killing of a seven- year-old boy in Gurugram’s Ryan International School. A school bus conductor has been arrested for the murder of the seven-year-old boy.

Several enforcement teams of the transport department impounded 250 private school buses for violations, the official said. “Among the impounded buses, 10 were of Ryan International group of schools,” the official said. Efforts to get Ryan International Group’s comments elicited no response.

Enforcement teams found that some drivers were not carrying PSV (public service vehicle) badges and some conductors did not meet the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court, the official said. As per the rules, the conductor of a school bus requires a licence and must be 10th pass.

The Delhi government formed a high-level committee to look into safety aspects, including transportation of children at schools. “There will be no compromise with safety and security of children and more stringent measures will be taken in future,” a government source said.

The high-level committee of the government headed by the director of its Directorate of Education (DoE) has proposed amendments in the School Cab Policy, 2007, to make schools answerable for buses and cabs ferrying school children. According to transport department officials, over 10,000 private buses and cabs were hired for ferrying school children in the city.

The drive against these vehicles has been launched in view of their “compromised” safety measures and other violations. Besides buses, cabs and vans carrying school children have also been impounded by the enforcement teams. Till July, 900 vans were impounded and close to 2,000 fined for flouting permit norms as part the drive, he added.