Ghaziabad: The transport department plans to take enforcement action against 21 schools whose buses have failed to meet prescribed safety norms. The department has issued notices and directed all schools to ensure compliance. Officials said the schools were sent four reminders in the past three months but did not comply with the safety norms.Enforcement teams will now begin checking school buses from Wednesday at major intersections and along school routes across the city. “Schools have been given sufficient opportunity to comply with the safety requirements. No further extension will be given,” an official said.During the enforcement drive, buses found operating without the required safety arrangements or documents may face penalties and other action under the applicable rules. Officials said enforcement would continue until all school buses operating in the district comply with the prescribed safety norms.Legal action could be initiated against the schools concerned, officials added.Under the prescribed norms, school buses are required to be equipped with CCTV cameras, GPS tracking systems, panic buttons, first-aid boxes, fire extinguishers and emergency exits/windows. The vehicles must also have valid fitness certificates, while drivers and conductors are required to undergo character verification.The action comes against the backdrop of a wider transport department crackdown on school-vehicle safety in Ghaziabad. TOI had earlier reported that the department had issued notices to 215 schools for failing to complete police verification and health checks of school-bus drivers.The inspection drive was also examining mandatory safety equipment and documents, including fitness certificates, permits, insurance, fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, CCTV cameras and GPS systems.At the time, officials said only 1,660 of around 2,300 school vehicles registered with the department had complied with the driver-verification requirement.
