Authorities crack whip on school buses violating safety norms in Panchkula | Chandigarh News
Panchkula: Cracking down on school buses violating traffic and safety norms, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), Panchkula, along with the education department and traffic police, issued challans to 25 buses in Nov and 27 in Dec last year. The enforcement action followed extensive checks, with teams inspecting 105 buses in Nov and another 109 in Dec during the joint operation.Officials said violations detected during the drive included missing first-aid kits, expired fitness certificates, absent fire extinguishers, and non-functional cameras. Issues related to speed limits, proper signage and availability of attendants on buses were also flagged. Schools were directed to ensure strict adherence to prescribed safety norms for protection of students, particularly in view of ongoing foggy conditions, where additional caution was deemed essential.
These details were shared during a meeting of the district road safety committee and the safe school vehicle policy held at the mini secretariat. Reviewing the implementation of the policy, deputy commissioner Satpal Sharma emphasised the need for regular checks of school buses and reiterated that all mandatory safety equipment, including first-aid kits, must be present in every vehicle at all times. He stressed coordinated efforts among various departments to reduce road accidents in the district and enhance public awareness regarding traffic rules, especially among the youth.The deputy commissioner said the primary objective of the district road safety committee and the safe school vehicle policy was to prevent road accidents and lower the mortality rate. Highlighting that human life is invaluable, he pointed out that timely first aid can save lives in many cases of road accidents. He also directed officials to ensure that accident victims are shifted to the nearest health facility immediately so that essential medical care could be provided without delay.Sharma instructed the police department to organise awareness programmes for young people to ensure stricter compliance with traffic norms. He ordered special enforcement drives against violations such as riding two-wheelers without helmets, overspeeding and driving on the wrong side of the road. In view of the dense fog, he directed that barricades placed at police checkpoints be removed promptly after naka duty so that smooth traffic flow is maintained and accidents prevented.Additionally, the deputy commissioner directed road construction agencies to clear construction material such as gravel and sand from roads immediately after completing work. He noted that unattended construction material had contributed to several accidents due to vehicles skidding. Agencies were asked to install adequate signboards and ensure proper road markings wherever required to minimise hazards for commuters.MSID:: 126613487 413 |
