The Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) has started cracking down on school transport vehicles including minibuses, vans and autorickshaws carrying school children. The initiative has been taken in response to recent incidents involving illegally driven vehicles and is aimed at punishing violators who put the lives of children at risk.

To monitor these vehicles, the RTO has formed four squads responsible for monitoring around 5,000 such vehicles plying in the city. A notification was issued by the RTO regarding this action.

One of the major concerns is overcrowding in the vans, some of which carry 12-15 children in one trip. Many drivers in the city have also been caught driving recklessly.

Pune Regional Transport Officer, Sanjeev Bhor stressed on the importance of drivers carrying fitness certificates at all times and urged transport organizations and vehicle owners to expedite the fitness certificate process. Along with this, he told that during the action some vehicles were found without registration papers and driving license. Vehicles must follow safety measures such as not overloading, carrying first aid boxes and complying with other safety rules.

The action is aimed at enhancing the safety of school children and ensuring that the vehicles used to transport them are in compliance with legal and safety standards.