Majority of school buses lack fitness in Karimnagar

Karimnagar: Though the schools have already started functioning, a majority of the school buses have not undergone fitness tests in the erstwhile Karimnagar district. Despite Transport department officials orders to subject the buses to fitness test before the beginning of schools, majority of school managements were not coming forward for tests. Out of 1,700 buses […]

Karimnagar: Though the schools have already started functioning, a majority of the school buses have not undergone fitness tests in the erstwhile Karimnagar district. Despite Transport department officials orders to subject the buses to fitness test before the beginning of schools, majority of school managements were not coming forward for tests. Out of 1,700 buses existing in the old Karimnagar district, only 700 buses have been tested for fitness so far. School managements are waiting for exemption from Rs 50 fine being imposed to vehicles which failed the fitness test after the expiry of the existing fitness period.

According to GO 714 of Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act 2019, per day, Rs 50 fine will be imposed on vehicles which failed to undergo fitness tests after the expiry of existing fitness certificate. While goods transportation vehicles unions across the country were opposing the GO, schools management appealed to the state government for exemption from the fine. Though the GO came into existence from April 1, 2022, almost 72 days before the beginning of schools, management of schools failed to do fitness for buses. Instead, they were waiting for an exemption from fine, RTA source said.

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On the other hand, RTA officials have issued orders against the movement of vehicles which did not undergo fitness tests. According to RTA statistics, a total of 1,701 buses have been operated by various private schools in Karimnagar (846), Peddapalli (266), Jagtial (444) and Rajanna-Sircilla (145) districts.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Telangana Recognised School Management Association (TRSMA) state president Y Shekhar Rao said that they made a request to the state government for a fine exemption as a majority of the schools were unable to pay a Rs 50 fine.

Though school buses were not operated for two years due to Covid pandemic, RTA authorities were collecting old charges too. All put together, they have to pay Rs 48,000 to 50,000 per bus. It was not possible for all schools to pay such a big amount since all educational institutions had not been run on property for two years due to corona lockdown. So, they made a request to the state government to give exemption from the fine, he said.

Contrary with this argument, parents of students found fault with schools for abnormally hiking school bus fares. A famous school in Karimnagar town used to charge Rs 17,000 per a student towards bus fee per annum. However, the amount has been enhanced to Rs 22,000 this year on the pretext of hike in diesel charges, said L Shankar, a private employee.

District Transport Commissioner, Mamindla Chandrashekhar Goud informed that they have already issued orders against the movement of school buses without fitness. Buses moving without fitness would be seized, DTC made it clear.