The Transport Commissioner of Jammu Kashmir, Vishesh Mahajan, convened a meeting with school authorities on Monday to discuss the safety audit of vehicles ferrying students.
The meeting emphasized the need for active cooperation to ensure that all school transport vehicles adhere to safety standards.
A spokesperson, in a statement issued to the press, cited Supreme Court guidelines for school buses and announced January 31 as the deadline for installing CCTV cameras in all school buses.
The cameras are intended to monitor driver and staff activities to enhance student safety.
School authorities were also instructed to install functional speed governors limiting speed to 40 km/h. Any bus found violating safety norms, such as overloading or speeding, will be seized immediately.
Additionally, schools were directed to prevent underage students from driving two-wheelers or cars on or near school premises. Authorities were asked to hold counseling sessions with parents to address the dangers of underage driving and the consequences of non-compliance.
The Transport Commissioner highlighted the shared responsibility of schools to ensure safety, even for private vehicles hired by parents.
These vehicles must meet the same safety standards, including emergency exits, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, GPS trackers, seat belts, fire detection systems, and CCTV cameras.
The meeting was attended by Joint Transport Commissioner Vinay Samotra, Assistant Transport Commissioner, ARTO (HQ) Jammu, and representatives of various schools.