A comprehensive safety inspection conducted by the transport department in Gautam Buddh Nagar district has uncovered serious security lapses in student transportation across Noida and adjoining areas. Over 3,300 school buses operate daily across the region to transport students between their homes and educational institutions. However, official checks revealed that more than 70 buses belonging to various schools are plying illegally without meeting mandatory safety norms. Specifically, 51 school buses were found operating in an unfit mechanical condition, while 18 buses were running with completely expired road permits. In light of these alarming findings, ARTO Dr. Udit Narayan has issued an urgent appeal directing parents to actively monitor their children's daily transit conditions.
Over 70 Dangerous School Buses Operating on Noida Roads
Every day, over 3,300 buses traverse the roads of Gautam Buddh Nagar to transport young students. In most instances, parents remain entirely unaware of the actual mechanical health or legal documentation of the vehicles carrying their children, as neither school managements nor class teachers provide updates regarding vehicle fitness. The recent audit conducted by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) brought to light that 51 buses lacked valid fitness certification while continuing to ferry students. Additionally, 18 buses were found operating long after their official transport permits had lapsed. Allowing more than 70 unfit or unpermitted buses to operate poses a severe threat to student safety on public roads.
ARTO Dr. Udit Narayan Issues Critical Safety Guidelines for Parents
Responding to these compliance failures, ARTO Dr. Udit Narayan urged parents across the district to maintain vigilant oversight over their children's commute rather than relying solely on school authorities. Officials recommended that parents seek detailed daily feedback from their children regarding their bus journeys, focusing on several specific warning signs
- Unscheduled Stops: Check whether the bus driver stops the vehicle at isolated, deserted, or suspicious locations during pickup or drop-off routes.
- Mechanical Failures: Inquire if the bus frequently breaks down, stalls, or experiences mechanical trouble mid-transit.
- Unauthorized Halts: Verify if the driver parks or stops the bus near liquor vends, alcohol shops, or unapproved commercial spots.
- Reckless Driving: Confirm whether the driver engages in over-speeding, aggressive driving, or traffic violations while transporting students.
Transport officials emphasized that consistent parent-child communication regarding these factors will help identify security hazards early and ensure comprehensive safety for students.
Strict Legal Penalties and Police Action Planned for Errant Schools
Taking stern note of the violations, the transport authority has issued formal notices to all default school management committees. School administrators have been instructed to immediately rectify vehicle defects and obtain fitness certificates for the 51 unfit buses. Furthermore, schools have been ordered to immediately decommission the 18 buses operating with expired permits from student transit duty.
The ARTO office made it clear that if school authorities fail to implement these directives promptly, aggressive enforcement measures will follow. Beyond impounding non-compliant vehicles, the transport department will file police reports and initiate legal proceedings directly against defaulting school administrations. Officials reiterated that student safety remains non-negotiable and no institutional leniency will be tolerated.
