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Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Safety norms tightened for school vehicles in Gautam Budh Nagar
GREATER NOIDA: Taking a stern stance on lapses in school transport safety across all recognised schools in the district, the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration on Thursday issued directives stating that principals and school managers will now be held accountable for any violations of transport safety norms, officials informed. In the event of an accident or criminal incident, any proven negligence will lead to strict punitive action against the school management, and recommendations may be made to withdraw the institution's recognition, officials said. (HT Archives) Officials warned that failure to comply with legal and safety standards could invite criminal, administrative, and legal action, including cancellation of school recognition in serious cases. The crackdown follows a statewide special inspection drive conducted from July 1 to 15, wherein several school vehicles were found operating without mandatory permits, fitness certificates, or pollution control documents. Many lacked basic safety equipment such as GPS trackers, CCTV cameras, fire extinguishers, seat belts, first-aid kits, and emergency exits. In some cases, drivers had neither undergone police verification nor medical examination - a situation termed 'deeply concerning' by enforcement officials, according to the transport department officials. Assistant regional transport officer (enforcement) Udit Narayan Pandey, acting on instructions from Uttar Pradesh transport commissioner and district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma, emphasised that student safety is paramount and cannot be compromised. 'There will be zero tolerance for any negligence when it comes to the safety of children. The responsibility lies directly with the school principal or manager for any vehicle operating from their campus,' said Pandey. Now, every school vehicle must possess valid permits, updated fitness certificates, insurance, PUC (Pollution Under Control) and driving licenses and ensure that vehicles are fitted with GPS devices, CCTV surveillance, fire extinguishers, and emergency exits. All drivers and conductors must undergo police verification, medical fitness checks, and mandatory training. For the safety of girl students, deployment of a female attendant in school vehicles is also compulsory, officials said. 'The violations found - missing permits, unverified drivers, and lack of essential safety tools - reflect a worrying disregard for student safety. Institutions are being reminded to treat every school vehicle as an extension of their campus, equipped, monitored, and fully compliant with safety norms,' added Pandey. Additionally, every school must form a School Transport Safety Committee to hold monthly meetings to assess compliance. Besides, they are also required to submit transport-related documentation and a monthly compliance report to the ARTO office without fail, officials said. While there are around 1,900 registered school buses in the district, officials said that the directives apply to all vehicles engaged in student transport, including privately operated vans, mini-buses, and hired cabs running under formal agreements with school. In the event of an accident or criminal incident, any proven negligence will lead to strict punitive action against the school management, and recommendations may be made to withdraw the institution's recognition, officials added. 'Instructions have been issued to ensure that all recognized schools in the district comply with legal and safety standards for school vehicles without exception. No school will be allowed to operate in violation of these norms,' said the DM.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Additional DM will oversee cashless treatment for road accident victims
Noida: To streamline the Centre's cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims, Noida district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma has appointed additional DM Manglesh Dubey as the grievance redressal officer. The DM and transport department have issued guidelines for implementing cashless treatment for road accident victims in the district The scheme, launched under Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, is designed to provide immediate medical care during the 'Golden Hour' following an accident, with coverage of up to Rs 1.5 lakh for treatment received within the first seven days at empanelled hospitals, including those under the Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY). In June, TOI had reported the scheme's rollout was delayed in NCR districts, where some hospitals claimed to be awaiting state-level empowerment directives before they could offer cashless services. A guideline and details of the cashless treatment scheme have also been shared by Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) Udit Narayan Pandey. You Can Also Check: Noida AQI | Weather in Noida | Bank Holidays in Noida | Public Holidays in Noida As per eligibility criteria, victims of a motor vehicle accident on any road in the country who require trauma or poly-trauma care are entitled to cashless treatment. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The scheme applies to all types of road vehicles as defined in Section 2(28) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. In terms of treatment facilities, immediate treatment will be provided to victims in empanelled hospitals, including those covered by the Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Treatment begins immediately upon hospitalisation without any initial payment. For coverage, the guideline states that, in cases of serious injuries, treatment up to a maximum of seven days or costing up to Rs 1.5 lakh, whichever is earlier, will be covered. In hit-and-run cases, financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for death and Rs 50,000 for serious injuries will also be provided. To ensure smooth operation of the scheme and quick resolution of complaints, additional district magistrate (Administration) Manglesh Dubey has been appointed as the grievance redressal officer in GB Nagar. "The scheme is an important step in road safety and aligns with the national target of reducing road accident mortality by 50%. All registered hospitals under this scheme in GB Nagar have been directed to provide immediate treatment to victims," said Pandey. According to the ARTO, to claim under hit-and-run provisions, victims or their legal heirs must submit prescribed forms along with details to the investigating officer, whose report, followed by approval from the claims settlement commissioner, triggers e-payment within 15 to 45 days. For any complaint or assistance, victims can contact the additional district magistrtate. "Providing immediate medical assistance to road accident victims is a priority and through this scheme, every victim in the district will receive timely treatment," said DM Verma.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Time of India
254 school vehicles challaned for not complying with safety norms
1 2 3 Prayagraj: In compliance with state govt's directive dated June 24, officials from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) Prayagraj resumed a stringent inspection drive against unfit school vehicles, with focus on child safety and vehicular fitness. The campaign, conducted between July 1 and July 14, covered multiple key locations including Sulemsarai, Rajroopur, CMP Degree College, Bairhana and Stanley Road. Along with this, the drive was also carried out in rural areas. The primary objective of the drive was to ensure that all school vehicles comply with mandated safety and fitness standards. According to ARTO (administration) Rajeev Chaturvedi, by July 15, a total of 2,358 school vehicles were registered in the Prayagraj district. Of these, 2,349 vehicles were thoroughly checked by the inspection teams. Alarmingly, 254 vehicles didn't met the safety standards. These vehicles either lacked required safety equipment or failed to meet technical criteria for roadworthiness. In addition, fitness certificates for 61 vehicles had expired, and these vehicles were subsequently taken off the road by enforcement officials to prevent further operation. "The inspection team pays close attention to critical safety features, including the functionality of emergency exit gates, presence of fire extinguishers, first aid kits, installation of CCTV cameras, and the number of students being transported by the vehicle against its capacity," said Chaturvedi. A number of vehicles were found to have non-functional emergency exits, many lacked basic firefighting equipment or medical kits, and many were found to carry far more children than their capacity, he added. The absence of CCTV surveillance in several buses also raised serious safety concerns. As part of the enforcement action, 254 vehicles were challaned by July 15, and a total compounding fee of Rs 4.90 lakh was collected from violators. ARTO (administration) Rajeev Chaturvedi confirmed that notices are now being issued to school vehicle owners, management bodies, and principals of institutions whose vehicles failed to meet the required fitness norms. This extensive operation underlines the state govt's commitment to student safety and ensures that only fully fit vehicles are allowed to transport schoolchildren. RTO officials have called upon all stakeholders—including school authorities and vehicle owners—to actively cooperate in the ongoing inspections and prioritise the safety of students above all.
Hindustan Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Noida transport department hires agency to boost social media reach
Noida: The Noida transport department has hired a private agency to boost its official reach on social media after the UP government sanctioned ₹4 lakh for it, officials said on Tuesday. Transport officials said that social media is primarily being used to raise public awareness about road safety and traffic rules. (HT Archives) 'The step has been taken to put more information to the public on their fingertips through official social media handles,' said Siyaram Verma, assistant regional transport officer (ARTO) (administration), Noida. 'The move to boost social media presence was decided after a meeting was chaired by transport commissioner BN Singh. The sanctioned amount will support this effort. A professional agency has now been hired to handle the official pages of the transport department in Noida.' Verma, however, clarified that these platforms are intended only to share information, not grievance redressal. 'For that, citizens should contact our helpline at 1800-1800-151 or use our WhatsApp chatbot at 8005441222.' Transport officials said that social media is primarily being used to raise public awareness about road safety and traffic rules. Their posts aim to educate residents on topics such as traffic regulations, enforcement drives, dues on commercial vehicles, school bus safety norms, and vehicle checking campaigns. Currently, the Noida transport department's social media reach includes 2,395 followers on Instagram, 6,500 on Facebook, 283 on X, and 104 subscribers on YouTube.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
School vehicles flouting safety norms to face up to 50K fine
Prayagraj: The regional transport office (RTO) in Prayagraj has decided that school vehicles not operating as per the guidelines for children's safety will face fines up to Rs 50,000, and their vehicles can also be seized. The RTO in Prayagraj found that fitness certificates of over 300 vehicles registered in various schools of the district have expired. Notices are being sent to these vehicle owners by registered post to ensure they renew their fitness certificates. Besides, instructions have been issued to school managers and vehicle owners to check documents pertaining to the fitness of school vehicles themselves. "A fine of up to Rs 50,000 can be imposed for not having a first-aid box, reflector, insurance, and fitness certificate. Thus, instructions have been issued to school managers and vehicle owners," said ARTO (Administration) Rajiv Chaturvedi. They have been warned that if any vehicle is caught without fitness or necessary safety documents, a fine of up to Rs 50,000 will be imposed, he added. Notices were sent to 329 vehicle owners, out of which about two dozen have taken their fitness certificates. Action will now be taken against others. Various teams have been constituted by the department to conduct checking campaigns during school time, and immediate action will be taken against those vehicles not following the required norms. Officials further said that a fine of Rs 5,000 will be imposed for not having a driving licence, Rs 10,000 for not having valid insurance, Rs 10,000 for not having a pollution certificate, Rs 10,000 for not having a permit, Rs 10,000 for not having a reflector in the vehicle, and Rs 100 for not having a first-aid box. Additionally, a fine of Rs 1,000 will be imposed per passenger for carrying more passengers than the capacity. Likewise, a fine of Rs 5,000 will be imposed for the first time and Rs 10,000 for the second time for not having a fitness certificate. The RTO has clarified that if any vehicle is found carrying school children without school permit or fitness, its permit can be cancelled, and the vehicle can also be seized. Apart from this, driver's licence can also be suspended. Chaturvedi said that if, during checking, any school vehicle is found without valid fitness, permit, or contrary to the prescribed safety standards, then strict action will be taken against the school manager concerned or vehicle owner. In such cases, vehicle seizure, heavy fines, and accountability of the school administration will be fixed.
