Vijayawada: A statewide inspection drive of school and other educational institution buses in Andhra Pradesh has revealed that a significant number of vehicles are operating with safety and fitness-related deficiencies, raising concerns over student transportation safety.
Inspection Results
According to official data, the state has 4,011 educational institutions operating a total of 17,916 buses. Transport authorities inspected 9,440 buses as part of a special enforcement drive. Of the vehicles examined, 6,616 buses were found roadworthy, while 2,824 had various deficiencies and safety-related issues requiring rectification.
District-wise Data
Konaseema district has the highest number of educational institution buses at 1,702, followed by Kakinada with 1,642. Konaseema also recorded the highest number of inspections, with authorities checking 1,112 buses during the drive.
The inspection data, however, highlighted relatively low inspection coverage in some major districts. In Krishna district, only 251 of the 773 registered school buses were inspected. Similarly, Anakapalli recorded inspections of 298 out of 521 buses, while Guntur saw 403 inspections out of 808 buses.
What Was Checked?
Joint transport commissioner (enforcement) Sivaram Prasad said the inspections of educational institution buses (EIBs) were focused on vehicle fitness, emergency exits, fire safety equipment, speed governors, valid permits, insurance coverage, and compliance with student transportation safety norms. Buses found with deficiencies have been directed to rectify the issues before being allowed to continue operations.
“The transport department teams have completed the physical inspection of all EIBs across the state by visiting educational institutions in their respective districts over the last month. A special drive is now underway, with schools reopened, to check if any EIB, found not roadworthy, are being used for transporting students. Buses found violating norms during will be seized,” the JTC added.
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About the Author: Sri Krishna Kummara, a Senior Digital Content Creator, at The Times of India-Vijayawada. I cover developments related to VMC, Medical & Health, Transport, Metro, APSRTC, Railway and Airport related stories. I hold a graduate degree in BA with Journalism, Psychology and Literature as the core subjects.
