Nagpur: Nearly eight months after a tragic school transport accident claimed the lives of a driver and a schoolgirl in Mankapur, the state government on Thursday suspended Nagpur city regional transport officer (RTO) Kiran Bidkar. The suspension order holds him responsible for "serious negligence, dereliction of duty and administrative failure."
Details of the Incident
The accident involving a school van and a school bus occurred on September 12, 2025, when Bidkar was serving as head of the Nagpur city RTO office. Investigations later revealed that the school van was operating without a valid fitness certificate. The government stated that this glaring violation should have been detected and prevented by the transport department.
Government Action
The government order states that Bidkar failed in his responsibility as office head and that his conduct amounted to a violation of the Maharashtra Civil Services Conduct Rules. Disciplinary proceedings under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979, have now been initiated against him.
The action comes amid mounting criticism over weak enforcement against unsafe school transport vehicles across Maharashtra. Despite repeated drives after multiple accidents, unauthorized and unfit school vans continue to operate brazenly, exposing thousands of students to risk daily.
Suspension Conditions
The suspension order directs that Bidkar's headquarters during the suspension period will remain the transport commissioner's office in Mumbai, and he cannot leave headquarters without prior permission. He will receive subsistence allowance per rules, but the government has also barred him from accepting private employment or engaging in business activities during suspension.
Systemic Failures Highlighted
Officials admitted in private that the suspension sends a message within the transport department. "This is not just about one accident. It reflects systemic failures in enforcement, inspections and monitoring of school vehicles," said a senior official.
Bidkar's suspension was announced by the government during the winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur in December last year. "Children died because an unfit vehicle was allowed on roads. Accountability should have been fixed immediately," said an activist working on school transport safety.
The suspension has once again exposed the fragile enforcement ecosystem surrounding school transport — where rules exist on paper, but monitoring often collapses until tragedy strikes.
