Transport Commissioner Establishes January 31 Deadline for CCTV Camera Installation in School Buses

JAMMU, Dec 16: Transport Commissioner Vishesh Mahajan convened a meeting with school authority representatives to discuss the safety assessments of vehicles transporting students. The objective is to garner active involvement and collaboration from school leaders to ensure the vehicles used for student transport are secure and suitable for this purpose.
In light of the Supreme Court’s directives regarding school buses, the Transport Commissioner has announced January 31 as the deadline for the compulsory installation of CCTV cameras in all school buses. This measure aims to monitor every action of drivers and accompanying staff during transit, thereby enhancing student safety at all times.
School officials were instructed to guarantee that all vehicles are equipped with operational speed governors, with a maximum speed limit set at 40 km/h, adhering to guidelines provided periodically. They were warned that vehicles would be confiscated on the spot if any school bus is found breaching safety protocols, particularly concerning overloading and speeding.
The authorities pledged to comply with all safety protocols as set forth in the Supreme Court guidelines to safeguard children. Additionally, they were urged to prevent underage students from operating two-wheelers or four-wheelers in and around school areas. They were also instructed to conduct counseling sessions for parents to educate them on the ramifications of permitting underage driving.
The Transport Commissioner noted that while most schools maintain their own fleet of vehicles, some private vehicles are also employed by parents. Thus, it is the responsibility of school authorities to ensure these vehicles meet mandatory standards, including the presence of emergency exit doors, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, GPS trackers, CCTV cameras, seat belts, and fire detection alarm systems.
Others present at the meeting included Joint Transport Commissioner Vinay Samotra, Assistant Transport Commissioner, ARTO (HQ) Jammu, and various school representatives.