Safe ride for school kids: UT transport secy reviews STRAPS

Chandigarh: Vinay Pratap Singh, secretary, transport, UT, reviewed the Safe Transportation Policy for Students (STRAPS) on Friday in presence of Rupesh Kumar, secretary, State Transport Authority (STA), Shipra Bansal, chairperson Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR), H S Mamik, president Independent School Association, Traffic Inspector, District Education Officer and President School Bus Operators Welfare Association, Chandigarh
He said the issue is of prime concern for all stakeholders and lessons should be drawn from recent tragic incidents involving school buses in various parts of the country and effective steps should be taken to avoid any such mishaps.
Among those present in the meeting were Rupesh Kumar, secretary state transport authority (STA), Shipra Bansal, chairperson of Chandigarh commission for protection of child rights (CCPCR), H S Mamik, president of independent school association, traffic inspector, district education officer and president of school bus operators’ welfare association, Chandigarh.
Chairperson CCPCR said it is observed that sometimes proxy unverified and untrained people are driving school buses in the absence of regular drivers. She highlighted the issue of expired medicines in first-aid box of school buses and said all bus drivers and attendants do not undergo life-support training.
Secretary transport directed the school bus operators’ welfare association to ensure that only verified and trained drivers are deployed at school buses if regular drivers are absent and that all buses should have updated and stocked first-aid boxes. He also emphasised that bus drivers and attendants should be given life-support training through Red Cross.
Secretary STA said the regional driving training centre (RDTC) is under construction and that the same will be completed soon. The training and refresher course of school bus drivers will soon be held at RDTC. He also said that extensive challans are being done by STA for overcrowded autos and cabs carrying school children.