Allahabad HC directs activation of school transport safety panels across UP

The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure regular meetings of district school vehicle safety committees and to set up school transport safety committees in all schools across the state.

The court issued the directions while hearing a public interest litigation on compliance with safety rules for vehicles used to transport schoolchildren.

A bench of Justices Alok Mathur and Brij Raj Singh in Lucknow said the chief secretary must issue the necessary instructions so that district-level committees meet regularly and oversee the constitution and functioning of school transport safety committees in individual schools.

The matter will next be heard on September 28. The order came on a PIL filed by Giridhar Gopal, secretary of the Gomti River Bank Residents Association.

During the hearing, the court was told that the Uttar Pradesh Motor Vehicles Rules contain specific provisions on the operation and safety of vehicles carrying schoolchildren.

Under these rules, transport vehicles carrying schoolchildren to public places must have the prescribed permits.

The court was also informed that school vans are required to have an agreement with a parent or a group of parents.

The agreement has to be submitted by the school to the competent authority, on the basis of which the permit is issued. The Transport Commissioner told the court that most school vans do not have the permits required under the rules.

According to the order, the rules also provide for district school vehicle safety committees headed by the district magistrate and made up of officials from different departments as well as representatives of the school transport sector.

Similarly, every school is required to constitute a school transport safety committee. However, the court was told that such committees are not functioning in any school at present.

Taking note of these provisions, the high court directed the chief secretary to ensure regular meetings of the district school vehicle safety committees and to monitor the constitution and functioning of school transport safety committees.

District magistrates have also been asked to monitor the constitution of these committees and ensure that they perform their assigned duties.

Each district magistrate has been asked to submit information on compliance with the court's directions within one month. The bench directed the government counsel to file a compliance affidavit after reports are received from all districts.

The court also directed that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) be made parties to the PIL so that statutory safety requirements relating to schoolchildren are complied with by schools affiliated with these boards.