TRAVEL trouble

A school bus plies on city road. Telegraph picture

Why off-roads

• Private School Bus Operators’ Association has decided to go on a token strike on Monday
in protest against anti-overloading drive of district transport office (DTO), Patna

• DTO had issued a public notice in dailies in last week of October to accommodate extra
students in new vehicles. It also stated that a drive would be conducted against overloading
after a week

Demands of operators

• Vehicles should not be seized on the spot

• More time should be given to procure new buses to accommodate extra students

Parents’ plight

• It would be difficult to send children to schools on Monday because of the strike

Schools firm

• Classes will be on

Private school vehicles would be off roads on Monday, leaving students stranded.

The State School Bus Owners’ Association and Auto Men’s Association on Sunday decided to go on daylong token strike on Monday in protest against the ongoing drive of the district transport office (DTO) against overloading in school buses, vans and autorickshaws. Around 700 private buses transporting students would not be plying in support of the strike. Around 5,000 auto rickshaws and vans transporting students would also be off streets.

Ravindra Kumar, the president of State School Bus Owners’ Association, Patna, said: “The DTO’s drive against overloading of private school buses is completely arbitrary. We were not given any prior intimation by the authorities regarding the drive. According to the norms, school buses should be allowed to go after the payment of 60 per cent of the penalty amount or after taking possession of the documents of the vehicles. But here, the buses are being seized on the spot and kept at the police station. This is anarchy.”

The DTO, however, had issued a public notice in some dailies in the last week of October, giving a week’s time to private bus operators to make alternative arrangements to accommodate extra students to avoid any inconvenience during the drive. School authorities and parents were also kept in the loop.

Bihar Public School and Children Welfare Association on Sunday issued a statement, requesting the transport department to release the seized buses.

But Dinesh Kumar Rai, the district transport officer, Patna, said: “The drive is being conducted on the directives of Patna divisional commissioner and district magistrate. Around 35 vehicles were ceased last week, but all students in the vehicles were dropped at their respective destinations.”

Despite the strike, most of the schools would remain open on Monday. Mary Alphonsa, the principal of Don Bosco Academy, told The Telegraph on Sunday: “The school will be open. We have few buses of our own.”

Radhika K., the vice-principal of Radiant International School, said: “We have our own buses. Therefore, the school would remain open.”

Litera Valley School, Patna Central School and Gyan Niketan would also remain open on the day of the strike, opposed by most of the “confused” parents.

Hema, a resident of Bhattacharya Road, said: “Till now, we do not have any information from the school. The institution has its own buses. If the buses do not ply, I shall not be sending my children to the school.”

Rakesh of Sultanganj said: “My child is too young to go to the school on his own and I can’t drop him because I have to go to the office.”

Unlike Hema and Rakesh, some parents were determined to send their wards to schools on the day of the strike. “My daughter goes to St Joseph’s Convent High School. She cannot afford to bunk classes. She will take an autorickshaw or rickshaw,” said Ridima.