Jamshedpur : After a gap of about a week, the district administration resumed its drive against overloaded school vans.
The administration had initiated the drive against overloaded vans last week in view of the repeated complains. The vans operators in protest had gone on strike.
The strike ended with administration managing to impress upon van operators about following traffic rules while carrying students and the van operators �in turn deciding to raise fares in the range of Rs 100- 150 �per students. However, most of the van operators have still failed to reduce number of students.
According to RTA guidelines, autos running on petrol can carry four students, while the limit for diesel-powered three-wheelers is six. Vans can ferry up to eight students.
East Singhbhum district transport officer (DTO), Sanjay Kujur said that will be regularly carried near the school premises.
The traffic police late in the evening also carried out drive against parking area violation by using crane lifters to toe away vehicles parked in �no-parking area� on roads in Bistupur.
Meanwhile the van operators are also not happy with the drive launched by the traffic police. Concerned with surprise checks, some van operators have even started carrying few children these days and are asking the parents to drop their children from their own vehicles for the time being.
�We have no choice but to drop children ourselves for the time being. I think the van operators should be taken to task for their behaviour.
School management should also come forth to help improve the situation. They should also complain about overloaded school vans so that the police can act,� said a parent. He said that the private vans also run several trips. The result: a big hurry on part of the drivers to go for their next pick up or drop.
Rameshwar Prasad, a van operator of Sacred Heart Convent says, �We are forced to take more children because of the rising fuel prices and road tax. We have even asked the parents to hike our charges, but they are not willing. In such a scenario, we have no choice but to go for overloading.
It�s becoming difficult to run our businesses.�
Mahato, said that if the parents are so concerned they should also instruct their child how to crossing the road or they should ensure that they are around to keep an eye on their wards getting in or getting down from the vans.