Bhubaneswar, Jan. 16: The transport department had made it mandatory for school and college buses in the state capital to have speed governors but these vehicles continue to travel at high speed putting the lives of students at risk.
"Buses carrying school and college students travel at high speed and yet, no action is taken by the authorities," said Samarendra Sarangi, 46, businessman and resident of Rasulgarh.
Sarangi, whose son studies in Class IX in a public school, said: "Use of speed governors can help restrict the speed."
The driver of a private engineering college bus, however, said he had not received any instruction on installing speed governor.
"We are often in a hurry to reach the educational institutions on time due to which we often drive at high speed."
A speed governor, or speed limiter, is a device that sets and limits a vehicle's top speed. When a vehicle is fitted with a speed governor reaches a preset top speed, the device begins to curtail combustion and limits the supply of fuel and air to the engine.
The principal of a leading public school in the city said there was no regular checking of school buses in the city. "If regular checks are done, drivers would be cautious," he said.
Asked whether he had instructed drivers of his school's buses about the mandatory installation of speed governors, the principal said his school bus drivers were careful and had been instructed to restrict the speed of their vehicles to 40 kmph.
"Every bus of our school has a number on the rear that can be dialled by people to report violation of traffic rules by the driver including reckless driving," he said.
Regional transport officer-II Sanjay Kumar Behera said schools had been instructed to ensure that their buses were installed with speed governors. He said, as of now, no special drive had been undertaken by the transport department to ensure compliance. "It will be done soon and errant drivers taken to task," he said.
Behera said people could use the transport department's 'Ame Prahari' app to report violations.