PUNE: The sight of autorickshaws stuffed with school children - 10 in one rickshaw at times - with their bags hanging out of the vehicles, is common nowadays.
“No doubt, rickshaws are the most affordable school transport vehicles available. However, also the reality is that they are the least secure ones,” said education activist Mukund Kirdat. In Pune, for buses with a capacity of 15-50 seats, parents are charged around Rs 1,400 per month per child for the first 3 km. Every kilometre after that costs Rs 200-300.
The Central Government had allowed only vehicles with a capacity of 13 passengers or more, excluding drivers, to be used as school transport. This meant only buses could be used to ferry children.
Later, the Bombay High Court in 2018 permitted three-wheelers and vans with a seating capacity of fewer than 12 persons to ferry children to and from schools.
But in Pune, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) has stricter rules. While the rickshaws can ferry only three adult passengers in a ride, they can take five children at a time. “We have planned out strict measures against autorickshaw drivers who are found to be violating this rule,” Pune’s Deputy Regional Transport Officer Sanjeev Bhor told Sakal Times.
However, the sight of school rickshaws outside the schools tells a different story. Many rules set by the Maharashtra government are regularly flouted by rickshaws drivers.
“There are rules regarding the hood of the rickshaws to be hard, the rickshaw to be concealed on one side, and so on. However, do you see all rickshaw drivers abiding by these rules? We don’t even see the RTO taking any strict action against the violators. The safety of children while going to schools and coming back has become the biggest concern for parents in the city,” Kirdat said.
THE AUTORICKSHAW DILEMMA
“While autorickshaws are affordable for parents, several activists and organisations are against them.
“RTO should not permit autorickshaws to transport children to schools,” said activist Advocate Anubha Sahai of India Wide Parents Association.
“It is the duty of the government to provide affordable transport for children to go to schools and not force the parents to opt for unsafe modes of transport like rickshaws,” she added.
Early Childhood Association (ECA), an organisation that works in the field of early childhood care, has drafted safety guidelines for school transport that clearly states that parents should avoid rickshaws or vehicles with open doors. However, in the current situation, it is not possible for all parents.
“My son’s school is five kilometres away and the school van charges are Rs 1,100 per month. It is a big amount for us,” said a mother of two residing in Kothrud.
“Next year, my younger son will start school, so we are thinking about sending him by autorickshaw. We need affordable and safe transport but what other options we have now?” she asked.
SECURITY AND AFFORDABILITY
Kirdat said, “It is not just about which type of vehicle is safe and which is not. The RTO must inspect the vehicles thoroughly every year. We don’t see any concrete action being taken against bus and vans drivers or owners. The school transport committees also have no control.”
“The only way to change this situation is by making the parents aware and
ensuring their participation. More schools must be encouraged to book the government buses for school transport and make them available to parents at a cheaper cost,” Kirdat added.
BUSES GETTING SAFER BUT COSTLIER
- We follow all safety measures by the RTO and the Education Department for school buses.
- From July 1, most of the buses have already been equipped with the panic button, while the remaining are in the process.
- Many buses have been connected by GPS.
- CCTV cameras have been installed inside the buses.
- A system is being worked on where the parents will get an SMS each time the child boards and deboards the bus.
- All this technology is costly.
- Competition amongst the school bus owners has not yet caused an increase in the fees, but the possibility is there.
(As told by Rajan Junawane of the Pune School Bus Association.)
