Lucknow: Under the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, several campaigns, including Mission Safe Future, are being conducted across Uttar Pradesh to ensure the safety of school students. As part of these efforts, the Uttar Pradesh Transport Department is conducting fitness checks of school vehicles and character verification of their drivers. The Chief Minister recently directed that special attention be given to the fitness of school vehicles and that driver verification be made mandatory.
According to Transport Department data up to August 13, there are currently 19,680 schools in the state. Of these, 74,337 vehicles are registered in the name of schools, while schools contract 8,022 vehicles. Thus, the state has a total of 82,259 school vehicles.
Additional Transport Commissioner (Enforcement) KD Singh Gaur said, "Under Mission Safe Future and other campaigns, the Transport Department is focusing on keeping school vehicles fit and ensuring verification of their drivers. The objective is to provide safe transportation facilities to schoolchildren and ensure action against vehicles and drivers found violating the rules."
School vehicles were inspected across the state during various campaigns. A total of 6,066 school vehicles were found to be unfit during these inspections. Notices were issued against these vehicles. Enforcement teams also challaned 1,072 school vehicles, while 356 vehicles were seized after violations of rules were found.
As part of the campaign, character verification of 27,066 school vehicle drivers has been completed so far. The Transport Department has issued instructions to all schools on safety checks for school vehicle drivers.
The Transport Department has issued strict directions to schools affiliated with the UP Board, CBSE, ICSE, UP Board of Madarsa Education and other boards to make police character verification and medical examination of bus and van drivers mandatory. The department has also issued a letter to this effect, directing schools under the respective boards to ensure compliance with the prescribed rules.
