Stir over new school bus guidelines catches flak

Updated on: Saturday, April 23, 2011

A day after TOI reported about the School Bus Owners Association (SBOA) calling for a strike from June 1, bus operators have caught flak from activists and members of the government-appointed committee to draft the school bus safety norms.

Anil Garg, president of SBOA, said that many rules mentioned in the final notification, released by the government, were new.

However, the committee stood by the rules. “These norms have been a part of the policy since its inception,” said Indrani Malkani, member of the committee.

Apart from the various norms under the final notification, Garg raised concern over the fact that the tax exemption for the bus operators was not mentioned. “An earlier government resolution (GR) had promised us that all other private vehicles like Tata Sumo, Qualis and autorickshaws will be barred from ferrying school students. This rule is still not being followed. We were promised certain tax exemptions, but it is not mentioned in the final notifications,” said Garg.

Earlier, bus operators were allowed tax exemption up to a certain limit which was changed later. Instead of paying Rs 1, 365 or Rs 650 per seat per year (based on their services), the charges were brought down to a mere Rs 100 per seat annually.

Stir over new school bus guidelines catches flak

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