School buses in Bhubaneswar to follow rules framed by the Supreme Court. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 31: The police are getting ready for a crackdown on school buses that are not adhering to Supreme Court guidelines.

The drive, beginning tomorrow, will see cops verifying if the 10-point-guidelines of the apex court are being religiously followed by concerned vehicles.

“Those buses flouting the rules will face action. Police officials will either go to educational institutes or check the vehicles on road to see if the guidelines are being followed seriously,” said a senior police officer. On August 18, the twin cities’ police called for a meeting of transport managers and school authorities.

Representatives of as many as 55 educational institutes participated in the meeting where they were briefed on the importance of following the Supreme Court guidelines on school buses.

“They were even handed over a copy of these guidelines. The school buses were asked to secure permission from the police by August 31, failing which, it was informed, that the cops will take action starting from September 1,” said assistant commissioner police (ACP) Nirmal Satpathy.

“The fine amount will be decided by tomorrow,” he said.

During the first week of this month, two school buses got involved in accidents and students had a narrow escape. While one of the buses caught fire near Khandagiri square, the other, which was being driven by an inexperienced driver, skidded off the road in Pokhariput area.

This had drawn criticism from several quarters forcing the police officials to swing into action. All school buses need to be painted yellow and carry students as per its prescribed capacity. It should have a first aid box and fire extinguishers.

There also should be a clear mention if it is a school or a college bus along with the telephone number of the institute.

Besides, the windows should be grilled and the driver should possess a driving experience of more than five years in heavy motor driving. The bus should also have an experienced school representative aboard it while students are transported.