GUWAHATI, March 22 - The District Transport Officer along with the Traffic Police will carry out inspections to see whether school buses of various private schools in the city are maintaining safety norms or not.
Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup Metro Dr M Angamuthu gave an order to this effect at a meeting of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) held here today.
Dr Angamuthu said that the RTA would follow Supreme Court directions with regard to safety norms and within 30 days, the Transport department would inspect the school buses. In this context, the onus has been put on the principals of the schools concerned to ensure that safety norms are adhered to.
Almost 300 school buses have been seized by the Transport Department as they have crossed their period of longevity, DTO in-charge (Enforcement) Bapan Kalita said.
Parking places for school buses will also have to be provided by the school authorities and 60 days� time has been allowed to school authorities to identify the pick-up and drop-off locations for students who use their parents� own vehicles for travelling to and from schools.
The meeting also discussed the issue regarding plying of e-rickshaws in the city and it was decided that e-rickshaws will be allowed to ply as the last mile connectivity. It decided that all e-rickshaws must be registered within May 30.
Assembling of foreign-made e-rickshaws will be inspected by the Transport department, the DC said in his order. The DTO (Enforcement) was asked to convene a meeting with the E-rickshaw Association and dealers next week.
The DC also ordered the DTO to take initiative for a route plan and permit regulation process for e-rickshaws.
The meeting also discussed the issue about regulation of city buses and the DC ordered the DCP (Traffic) to take strict action against city bus operators who violate traffic rules in the city.
The participants were informed that in the National Highway 37, from Jalukbari to Khanapara, the Transport department has identified 22 spots to be used as bus stops. They were also informed that the State Transport Authority has decided not to give more permits to share taxis and city buses from April 1. The meeting also took a resolution not to allow diesel autos to ply in the GMC area.
It was also decided to ask the transport association to ply city buses on a few routes like the Lokhra-Nepali Mandir (Paltan Bazar), Garchuk-Fatasil Ambari, Gosala-Maligaon and Narengi-Six Mile.
