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Time of India
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
School reopening nears in Telangana, but 8k buses not yet fit to ferry students
HYDERABAD: With schools to reopen on June 12, parents and students face a concerning situation as 8,657 buses operated by educational institutions remain off the roads, confined to garages across the state. According to data from the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), there are 25,677 buses operated by educational institutions. However, only 17,020 of these buses have fitness certificates so far. In Greater Hyderabad alone, over 3,000 school buses still need to undergo mandatory fitness tests, despite the Regional Transport Authority having made this facility available for the past three weeks. The Motor Vehicles (MV) rules mandate that school managements maintain valid fitness documentation for their vehicles. Furthermore, these buses must be equipped with emergency exits and fire safety equipment. The RTA conducts annual inspections to assess vehicle condition before issuing fitness certificates, which are required prior to the commencement of transport services for the academic year. In addition, the RTA will scrutinise auto-rickshaws and omni buses, having found that many of these vehicles are operating beyond their permitted passenger capacity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 외우지 않아도 영어가 기억된다면? 40분만 투자해보세요 스티븐영어 지금 시작하기 Undo From June 12, surprise checks will be carried out to determine whether these vehicles meet fitness standards, avoid overloading, and are not unauthorisedly used for transporting pupils. The Transport department has issued instructions to all District Transport Officers (DTOs) and Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) to conduct a special drive across their respective jurisdictions, focusing exclusively on vehicles used to transport school children. They have been instructed to check for valid fitness certificates, compliance with seating capacity norms, and the unauthorised use of private vehicles for commercial or hire purposes. Vehicles found to be unfit or dangerously overloaded are to be taken off the road, with proper records maintained of all inspections and violations. "School buses over 15 years old must not be operated. If such ageing or unfit vehicles are used to transport students, not only will the vehicles be seized, but legal action will be initiated against the managements. The responsibility for maintaining vehicles operated by educational institutions lies with school management. The buses must be kept in good condition, and experienced drivers must be employed," said M Chandrasekhar Goud, joint transport commissioner (Vigilance & Enforcement). Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Hindustan Times
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Samana accident: CM assures probe into tipper-trucks misused for illegal mining
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday met protesting family members of the seven schoolchildren who died when their SUV was hit by a tipper-truck on the Patiala-Samana state highway and assured them of a probe into the May 8 accident. Mann said that he would order a high-level probe into the plying of overloaded tipper-trucks that were being misused for illegal sand mining. 'I've already ordered the transport and police departments to conduct a statewide drive to check the licences of truck drivers and fitness certificates of heavy vehicles. Most tipper-trucks are overloaded. I hope that the sacrifice of these children won't go in vain, and we will unearth the nexus of illegal mining,' the chief minister said. Asked about the involvement of an Aam Aadmi Party MLA in the business of tipper-trucks, Mann said no one would be spared even if he was an AAP legislator or worker for shielding the accused or interfering in the police investigation. The CM said that strict action would be taken against police officials, who delayed action in the case. Following his assurance, the family members and scores of local residents lifted their four-hour blockade near Bhakra overbridge on state highway number 10 between Patiala and Samana. They were demanding justice for the seven children and their driver, who were killed when they were returning from school and their Toyota Innova was hit by an overloaded tipper-truck a month ago. The protesters alleged laxity by the civil administration and police in arresting all accused in the case. The truck was being driven by a 19-year-old with no licence for heavy vehicles. Records showed that the truck's fitness certificate had expired in January 2024 and its pollution certificate in July 2023, while its road tax was valid up to December 2023. In addition, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), Yamunanagar, Haryana, had issued a challan for the truck way back in December 2022. Though the driver was arrested, the parents of the children demanded that the truck owner, Randhir Singh, also be held accountable and sent behind bars. Local MLA Chetan Singh Jouramajra has also been at the receiving end of protests for his alleged association with the truck owner. He has, however, denied shielding the accused.
Hans India
02-06-2025
- Hans India
RTA cracks down on pvt travels operating buses from Tirupati
Tirupati: The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) officials in Tirupati conducted extensive checks on private travel buses operating between Tirupati and various distant destinations, including Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Visakhapatnam. The inspections, held on Saturday, were aimed at ensuring compliance with fitness, tax payments, and other permit-related requirements. During the last one week, the transport department has booked cases against 25 buses during the last one week and impounded fines to the tune of Rs 10 lakhs. Special attention was given to passenger safety, with officials ensuring that buses operating under National Permits always had two drivers on duty, as per safety regulations. The teams also thoroughly checked the passenger capacity of each bus to ensure no overloading occurred. Acting on the directives of district Collector Dr S Venkateswar and district Superintendent of Police V Harshavardhan Raju, the authorities kept a close watch on both outbound buses from Tirupati and inbound buses arriving from various cities. They also scrutinised unauthorised goods transportation and verified necessary bills. During the checks, a private bus traveling from Bellary to Tirupati was seized for not possessing valid fitness certificates and for non-payment of taxes. The authorities ensured that the stranded passengers were accommodated through alternative arrangements to avoid inconvenience. These inspections were carried out under the supervision of Tirupati District Transport Officer K Murali Mohan. The RTA teams in Tirupati included Motor Vehicle Inspectors Venumadhav, Srinivas Rao, Atika Naj, and Chandrasekhar, while in Sullurpet and Gudur, the teams led by Sunil Reddy, Prabhakar, Santhi, and Anil Kumar conducted similar checks.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Instead of 10-min lesson, overhaul learner's licence system: Experts
Hyderabad: Although the Centre has introduced a mandatory ten-minute lesson on road safety for learner's licence applicants on the Sarathi portal, experts suggest that such awareness initiatives are unlikely to improve road safety standards. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Meanwhile, the experts urged the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) to implement comprehensive reforms to the driving licence framework, including improved driving training and enforcement mechanisms. They also suggested that authorities should provide certified private driving schools to conduct tests, establish uniform training standards and implement a demerit points structure for traffic rule violations. 'Multimedia presentations futile' The centralised Sarathi portal streamlines processes such as driving licences, vehicle registrations, permits, and other transport transactions. It now requires users to complete a road safety tutorial before proceeding with the online learner's licence test. Currently, the Sarathi system is being trialled at the Secunderabad RTA. It will soon be implemented across all regional transport centres in Greater Hyderabad, including Khairatabad. "Multimedia presentations, including audio and video materials, have proven ineffective in raising road safety awareness," said Vinod Kanumala, an expert from the Indian Federation of Road Safety. He has been conducting road safety awareness programmes for the past 25 years. Learner's test needs to be updated He emphasised that the questions in the learner's test have become outdated and require modernisation, particularly noting the absence of questions about pelican crossings. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He also stressed the importance of reforming the driving licence system and advocated for the establishment of training schools for two-wheeler riders, as they are involved in 50% of accidents. "These schools should provide instruction on safe driving in monsoon and foggy conditions," he added. "Road safety awareness programmes alone are ineffective in enhancing safety standards on the roads. The authorities should implement strict regulations requiring drivers to undergo proper training, linking it to parking fee payments through their vehicle registration numbers if they fail to provide a certificate from the driving institute," said Dheerendra Samineni, a road safety expert, chief trainer and founder of Safe Drive India. Lack of awareness increases accident rate Furthermore, RTA officials say that a lack of awareness is contributing to the increased accident rate. "Nearly 80% of road incidents are caused by human error, primarily due to speeding and drink-driving. It is crucial to provide education and proper guidance during the initial licensing process to ensure that drivers understand safety protocols before they start driving on the roads," said M Chandrasekhar Goud, joint transport commissioner (IT & Vigilance).
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
DC: Public entry banned in waterbodies as heavy rains lash Kodagu
In view of heavy rains in Kodagu, Deputy Commissioner Venkataraja has issued orders banning public from entering waterbodies. Mr. Venkataraja issued the orders on Monday, which has come into immediate effect and will remain in force until further notice. As a precautionary measure to safeguard the public and infrastructure, the Deputy Commissioner has prohibited public and tourist entry to all waterfalls, rivers, streams, rivulets, public ponds, dams, and reservoir areas across Kodagu district. Swimming, diving, or undertaking any adventure activities in these waterbodies is strictly forbidden. Violations will attract penal action under Section 51(B) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, along with other relevant provisions of the law, the order said. Additionally, the Deputy Commissioner, who also heads the Regional Transport Authority, has restricted the movement of certain categories of heavy vehicles in the district from June 6 to July 5. The restriction applies to timber and sand transport vehicles, goods carriers with a registered weight exceeding 18,500 kg, bullet tankers, ship cargo containers, and long chassis (multi-axle) vehicles. Exemptions have been granted to essential service vehicles such as LPG and fuel supply trucks, milk delivery vehicles, government service vehicles, school and college buses, and public transport vehicles (including multi-axle buses). The decision comes in the backdrop of frequent landslides in Kodagu over the past few years during the monsoon, resulting in loss of life and damage to both public and private property. The district's hilly terrain, sharp curves, and steep gradients further amplify the risk. 'With the monsoon already setting in, increased soil moisture raises the likelihood of landslides if heavy vehicles are allowed to ply,' an official statement noted. In view of the curbs imposed on the movement of heavy vehicles, the Superintendent of Police has been authorised to install appropriate signage as per Section 116 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Check posts will be set up at Kushalnagar and Sampaje on National Highway 275 to monitor compliance. Continuous surveillance through staff deployment and mobile patrol units has also been planned. Action will be taken against violators, the order warned, highlighting that the steps had been taken to prevent disasters and protect the fragile ecosystem and public infrastructure during the monsoon.
