Kochi: Ahead of school reopening, several school buses brought to the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) for inspection in Kochi failed the fitness test. MVD officials reported that out of 60 school buses, 44 failed the inspections.
Initial Inspections Appeared Flawless
During the initial examinations held at the Seaport-Airport Road test ground, the buses were cleared. However, the situation changed when Ernakulam RTO K R Suresh took the driver's seat. An MVD official explained, "The first stage of inspections involved stationary checks covering tyres, wipers, headlights, doors, GPS, and fire safety systems. The vehicles also appeared flawless as they had fresh paint, polished bodies, and clean paperwork."
Test Drive Exposed Technical Flaws
As part of the final clearance, the RTO himself drove the vehicles. When he noticed major mechanical issues in the first few vehicles, he mandated that every single bus undergo a test drive. This operational check exposed technical flaws, and MVD officials rejected fitness certificates for those buses on the spot.
Only 16 Buses Cleared
The 16 vehicles that met every standard were marked with MVD safety stickers. The remaining 44 buses were ordered to resolve mechanical issues. MVD has scheduled a second phase of inspections for Saturday.
