RTO Kashmir prescribes permit conditions for school buses, vans

Srinagar, Mar 4:  The Transport Department Monday prescribed the permit conditions for school buses and transport facilities hired by schools as per AIS-063.

As per the official communication issued by the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Kashmir, Syed Shahnawaz Bukhari, the permit conditions have been issued while incorporating the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court for the safety of school transport.

The permit conditions have been issued at a time when the schools across Kashmir resumed class work for all the classes after three-month-long winter vacations.

As per the guidelines, all the seats in the school buses, except the ones facing the passenger step well should be forward facing while a partition should be provided to the seat facing the step well.

“If the age of school children is below 12 years, the number of children carried should not exceed 1.5 times the permitted seating capacity. Children above 12 years should be treated as one person,” the official communication reads.

The guidelines have been issued amid the complaints received from various corners against the private school cab owners for overcrowding the school kids in the vans and other cabs.

The RTO has set a condition for the permit that the school bus should have a first aid box, a water filter, and two fire extinguishers of ABC type – one at the front and one at the rear having an ISI mark.

“The school bus should have up-to-date documents like vehicle permit, fitness certificate, insurance certificate, valid token tax receipt, PUCC, SLD certificate, driving license, and GPS certificate,” it reads.

The RTO has also set a condition that the driver should have at least five years of experience of driving heavy vehicles and carry a complete list of children along with a copy of the agreement with the school.

“A driver challaned more than twice a year for red light jumping, violation of lane discipline, or allowing unauthorised persons to drive should not be employed,” the official communication reads. “A driver challaned even once for overspeeding, drunken and dangerous driving should not be employed.”

The Transport Department said that the school bus should be painted yellow and wherein ‘SCHOOL BUS’ should be written on the back and front of the bus. “The school name and telephone number should also be written and if hired, On School Duty should be indicated.”

As per the permit conditions set by the RTO, the doors should be fitted with reliable locks while the windows should be fitted with horizontal grills.

“The bus should be fitted with a speed governor of specified standard with a maximum speed limit of 40 kmph and there should be enough space under the seats to keep school bags safely,” it reads.

The bags should not be hung outside the vehicle or placed on roof carriers while each school bus should have a qualified attendant to attend to children on the bus, and while boarding and de-boarding respectively.

“In case of kindergarten, if an authorised person does not pick the child from the halting points, the child should be taken back to school and their parents called,” it reads.

The schools have been directed that the name and contact of the transport manager entrusted to ensure the safe transportation of school children should be prominently displayed on the inside and outside of the bus.

“The school heads are advised not to own or hire any such transport service which does not have a valid permit or do not fulfil the requisite permit conditions guidelines,” the official communication reads. “Any violations of these conditions would invite stern action against the defaulters or violators.”

A copy of the communication has been sent to all Chairman Regional Transport Authorities (Deputy Commissioners) for information and all Senior Superintendent of Police (SSPs) with the request to circulate among all empowered officers under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 read with J&K Motor Vehicles Rules, 1991 as amended in 2019.

The Director of School Education Kashmir has been urged to circulate among all the government and recognised private schools under their jurisdiction.