Transport commissioner Deepak Kapoor says private vehicles used to ferry kids will have to be regularised before they can pick up your children

It took more than a year and a new transport commissioner to regularise the private vehicles ferrying school kids. Taking a lesson from the 2008 Millat school incident, the Transport Department is drafting a policy to regulate vehicles used for school kids.

Recently, hundreds of private vehicles were raided and found to be plying illegally. This caused worry and now the Transport Department has taken it up as a challenge. Deepak Kapoor, transport commissioner says, "We are drafting a policy to regulate school vehicles. It's the question of a student's life. Thinking from the economical point of view, many parents send their kids in these vehicles, without verifying the vehicle's actual condition."

Follow the rules

In Mumbai, there are around 4,000 private vehicles, of which Tata Sumos and Maruti Omnis are the maximum used, to ferry school kids. "We don't want to disturb the parents. They will keep on plying, but will be regulated. They have to follow some rules and regulations," adds Kapoor.

The policy will include points like the driver should have a minimum experience of five years, the vehicle should not be older than ten years, there should a fire extinguisher and first aid box and the carrying capacity should be as per the size of the vehicle. "If private vehicles don't follow these conditions, we will not allow them to ply on roads. We will take strict action against them," adds Kapoor.