Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Sept 12: The State Transport Authority has finally adopted the policy on hiring of buses by the schools thus providing a way out to the majority education institutions, which were under constant pressure to create their own fleet of vehicles for transportation of students.
The Transport Commissioner is learnt to have given his final nod to the policy drafted and submitted by the Regional Transport Authority Jammu allowing temporary conversion of Stage Carriage vehicles into Contract Carriage with certain conditions for hiring of the same by schools, authoritative sources informed the Excelsior.
Following approval of the policy, the Transport authorities are now all set for implementation of the same thus providing a great relief to the majority schools, which are not in a position to have own fleet of vehicles owing to financial constraints, sources added.
As reported by the Excelsior, the Regional Transport Authority Jammu had submitted a draft policy for hiring of vehicles by the schools with certain conditions vis-à-vis apex court guidelines on school buses.
According to the sources, the State Transport Commissioner Sanjeev Verma approved the draft policy in toto and a formal letter conveying the consent has also been received by the RTO Jammu.
Following the approval of new policy, the Stage carriage permit of buses can now be temporarily converted into Contract carriage under Section 66 and Sub-Section 12 of the Motor Vehicle Act with certain conditions in section 88, sources informed.
The transporter will have to enter into an agreement with the school after which the concerned Transport authorities will endorse the Contract carriage permission on the Stage carriage permit for a period of one year with certain conditions thus legalizing hiring of the vehicle for carrying students, sources explained.
The temporary permission needs to be renewed every year for which annual fee of Rs 1500 will be charged for a bus. However, the vehicle for which permission is to be given, must be below 10 years old and fulfilling SC guidelines, sources in the Transport Department added.
Pertinent to mention here that as per SC guidelines, the school buses should be painted yellow, fitted with a First Aid Box, fire extinguisher, horizontal grills, reliable door locks, speed governor of specified standard, space fitted under the seats for keeping school bags, etc.
So far, there was no legal provision on hiring of buses and other vehicles for transportation of school children in Jammu and Kashmir where the majority education institutions are taking services of the stage carriage buses, which are not authorized to be used for the same. Further, the limited number of contract carriages is reluctant to be formally engaged for school duty owing to strict norms laid down by the apex court and Motor Vehicle rules.
The new policy will not only provide a great respite to the schools in hiring of buses but also help the Transport authorities to tighten noose around the vehicles being used illegally for transportation of students by educational institutions, sources maintained.
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