Nagpur: Amitesh Kumar, the Commissioner of Police, has called upon school representatives to establish transport committees in every school to ensure the safe travel of students. He warned that action would be taken against bus drivers who violate safety norms and against vehicles carrying more students than their capacity allows.
Kumar made these remarks during the School Transport Committee meeting held on Friday at the Dr Vasantrao Deshpande Hall. The meeting was attended by notable officials, including Aswathi Dorje, Joint Commissioner of Police; Saumya Sharma, Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad; Chetna Tidke, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic); Vishal Anand, Superintendent of Police (Nagpur Rural); Ravindra Bhuyar, Deputy Regional Transport Officer; and Ravindra Katolkar, Education Officer (Secondary).
Addressing the representatives of various schools and concerned officials, Kumar emphasized that schools bear the responsibility for the safety of students traveling to and from school. He expressed concern over the lack of parking spaces in many school premises, which leads to school bus drivers parking their vehicles on roadsides.
Kumar highlighted the importance of teachers imparting road safety knowledge to students, particularly teaching them how to safely cross roads. He stressed the need for regular vehicle fitness checks for vehicles transporting children to school. The Commissioner of Police also called for collaborative efforts between the police department, teachers, parents, and students to prioritize safety issues.
Kumar mentioned the implementation of the “Police Kaka” and “Police Didi” initiatives by the Police Department to ensure the safety of girls and prevent any form of harassment at school. He further stated that efforts are underway to coordinate with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Maha Metro to provide passes at low fares for economically disadvantaged students traveling to and from school.
Aswathi Dorje said that action would be taken as per the Motor Vehicle Act if vehicles were found carrying students more than their capacity. Saumya Sharma, Ravindra Katolkar, Chetna Tidke also guided the attendees of the meeting.
Earlier, Ravindra Bhuyar made introductory remarks. Sushil Bansode proposed a vote of thanks. On this occasion, Amitesh Kumar launched the newly created website of Transport Department.
