Three months after a tragic road accident claimed the life of a 16-year-old schoolgirl and sparked major political uproar, a shocking number of school transport vehicles in Nagpur continue to operate without the mandatory fitness certificates, exposing deep flaws in enforcement and student safety protocols.
Data Reveals Persistent Non-Compliance
Official statistics paint a worrying picture. Out of a total of 4,010 registered school transport vehicles in the district, 364 are operating without valid fitness certificates. This regulatory failure persists despite intensified scrutiny following the fatal collision at the Mankapur flyover on September 12. That accident, involving a head-on crash between a school van and a school bus, resulted in the deaths of student Sanvi Khobragade and the van driver. Subsequent probes found the van lacked a valid fitness certificate and other required documents.
Regional Breakdown and Enforcement Claims
The data from Nagpur's three Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) shows varying levels of compliance:
- RTO East: Has the highest number of violators, with 200 out of 1,300 registered vehicles lacking certificates.
- RTO City: 55 out of 848 vehicles are non-compliant.
- RTO Rural: Despite having the largest fleet (1,862 vehicles), 109 remain uncertified.
Transport authorities insist enforcement is active. Notices have been issued to all defaulting owners, and fines totaling approximately Rs 1.10 crore have been recovered. Officials, including Kiran Bidkar, in-charge of RTO City and East, state that license suspensions and vehicle registration cancellations are in process, with many vehicles detained or taken off roads.
Gaps in Ground Reality and Institutional Oversight
However, sources indicate that many uncertified vehicles still ferry students daily, highlighting a significant enforcement gap. The problem is compounded by a lack of institutional monitoring. In Nagpur district, 121 out of 3,842 schools have failed to form the mandatory school transport committee, a crucial body for overseeing safety.
While RTOs point to fines collected—Rs 12.36 lakh from RTO East and Rs 43.84 lakh from RTO City between April and November—parents and safety advocates question if monetary penalties are sufficient deterrents. Special drives post-September inspected 217 vehicles, penalizing 67 with fines of Rs 11.07 lakh in the city, and action against 176 vehicles in rural areas.
The tragic death of Sanvi Khobragade forced the suspension of a senior RTO official and dominated the Winter Assembly session, with Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik facing pressure. Yet, with hundreds of vehicles still flouting norms, the safety of thousands of schoolchildren hangs in the balance, underscoring an urgent need for consistent, stringent action beyond temporary crackdowns.
