On Monday, in Bantwal, a joint inspection of school buses was conducted by the city police and Regional Transport Office officials near BC Road Circle. This operation was initiated following the recent incident in Kalladka where a tree fell on a school bus, resulting in a young girl’s death. As a result of the inspection, four school buses were seized by the transport department for lacking necessary documents. The seized buses include three belonging to Baraka Vidya Samsthe in Mangaluru and one from Badakabailu Majlis Vidya Samsthe in Bantwal. The district administration, police, and transport department have increased their vigilance and are inspecting school buses across Dakshina Kannada district to ensure compliance with safety standards. The inspection in Bantwal revealed that some school buses had documents that were not in order, leading to the seizure. The management of Sriram Vidya Kendra, the school involved in the Kalladka incident, also faces a case registered at the Bantwal City Police Station. Officials have assured that such inspections will continue, prioritizing the safety of schoolchildren. However, the timing of these inspections has raised questions, as they began only five days after the accident. Many are expressing dissatisfaction, pointing out that preliminary checks on school vehicles should have been conducted earlier, especially since schools reopened two months ago. The public opinion is that concerned departments should conduct continuous inspections to prevent violations, not just react after a tragedy.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Vartha Bharati DK