No braking these speed demons

A MiD day investigation uncovers that a number of schools run by influential personalities were flouting safety norms

A MiD day investigation uncovers that a number of schools run by influential personalities were flouting safety norms

It's a tug of war between the transport department and school managements.

While the department is worried about schools plying sub-standard vehicles and children's safety, managements are blaming the speed governors made mandatory for such vehicles.

Shockingly, most of the schools violating the norms belong to VVIPs, who are clearly not bothered to follow the rules.

We found school bags piled up in the driver's cabin, too close to the clutch, making it a major safety hazard

MiD DAY joined a team of transport officials yesterday to check on such violations.

The team found that most of the vehicles that belonged to the schools were run by D K Shivakumar, former minister and now the Congress working president for the state, and the politically powerful Balagangadharanatha Swami, a pontiff close to politicians especially Vokkaliga leaders.

While a vehicle belonging to BGS International Public School, run by the pontiff, was seized, six cases were booked for various violations.

Three cases were booked against National Hill View School, run by Shivakumar.

"We had planned to get a fitness certificate for our vehicle during the last summer vacations, but since the government had made the governors mandatory for school vehicles, it did not happen in the confusion," said G K Nagaraj, transport in-charge, BGS International School.

"These people are very influential and we are helpless," said a transport official. "But we are worried that safety of children is at stake."

A source in the department revealed, out of some 5,000-school vehicles in the city, more than 1,000 were unfit. "These vehicles have not been complying with the norms. Either they are plying without fitness certificate or without permit," he added.

Defaulters

A department release said yesterday, "During the special drive conducted this week against the school vehicles driven dangerously, without permits, and without safety equipment, 61 cases were booked and 16 such vehicles were seized under the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act 1988."

One such seized vehicle had no registration number, and various mechanical defects, which included an outdated brake lever. What's worse is that the bus was overloaded with children.

We found that the rear-view mirrors in some buses were either missing, or had broken off.

Nagaraj added that fitting the governor in the vehicle was unscientific and expensive and was eating out the school's budget.

Shafi Ahmed, regional transport officer, Jnana Bharathi, said, "It is a lame excuse. When these schools are taking thousands of rupees from the parents, how can they talk about the budget?"

R V D'Souza, joint commissioner for transport, said, "The Supreme Court has made the speed governor compulsory, especially for school vehicles keeping children safety in the mind. The school managements must follow the rule without cribbing."