In a move to boost the safety of schoolchildren, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has laid down stringent guidelines for the operation of school buses across the state. Announced on Wednesday by the Indore bench, these guidelines include mandatory installation of GPS tracking systems and CCTV cameras in all school buses.
The decision, delivered by a division bench comprising Justices Vivek Rusia and Binod Kumar Dwivedi, came while disposing of a public interest litigation (PIL) related to a tragic incident in 2018, where four children lost their lives after a school bus collided with a truck in Indore. The bus involved in the accident belonged to Delhi Public School (DPS) and was reportedly speeding, leading to the fatal crash.
Under the new regulations, school buses older than 12 years are prohibited from operation. Additionally, the guidelines specify that each bus must be equipped with a speed governor to ensure adherence to speed limits. To enhance driver accountability, the court has also set strict employment standards for drivers. Those with more than two fines for traffic violations within a year, or even a single fine for over speeding, drunken driving, or dangerous driving, are barred from operating school buses.
Furthermore, school authorities are required to secure an affidavit from drivers, confirming their adherence to these safety standards. The justices emphasized the lack of specific provisions in the existing Madhya Pradesh Motor Vehicles Rules, 1994, regarding school buses, which prompted the court’s intervention under Article 226 of the Constitution.
