Hyderabad: Road transport authorities have issued 12,069 fitness certificates for school buses operating across the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits.
As per a Deccan Chronicle report, the certificates were distributed among 1,054 school buses in Hyderabad, 5,542 in Rangareddy, and 5,473 in Medchal.
During the inspection drive, officials booked nearly 150 cases for various violations, collecting Rs 11.64 lakh in compounding fees and Rs 3.2 lakh in taxes and penalties. So far, about 95 percent of the total school buses in the region have been inspected.
On June 13, as part of its ongoing special drive against school buses in Hyderabad, the RTA booked 22 cases for violations ranging from missing documentation to non-compliance with safety norms required for transporting school children.
Earlier, RTA officials in Vanasthalipuram seized 15 school buses and vans for multiple violations, including lack of fitness certificates, overloading, using non-transport vehicles to carry students, and drivers being unaware of basic road safety rules.
RTA to launch daily school bus inspections in Hyderabad
RTA officials are conducting awareness drives among school managements and are set to strictly enforce safety rules. Drivers are expected to self-assess their physical condition before transporting students. Each school bus must be equipped with an attendant, and drivers are required to undergo monthly health check-ups.
Violations, such as the lack of first aid kits and fire extinguishers, remain common. Consuming alcohol before driving will attract strict penalties, and school owners and drivers in Hyderabad will be held fully accountable for ensuring safety compliance.
