Children’s Safety at Risk as School Vehicles Meet with Frequent Accidents in Mahabubabad

WARANGAL: The safety of schoolchildren travelling in private school vehicles in Mahabubabad district appears to have become a matter of chance, with repeated accidents exposing serious lapses in vehicle maintenance, driver responsibility and official monitoring.

In the latest incident, a Tata Magic van belonging to Geetanjali Private School overturned in a tank near Thirlapuram in Kuravi mandal. According to information received, 14 students were travelling in the vehicle at the time of the accident. While several children sustained injuries, four reportedly suffered serious injuries. A major tragedy was averted only because the tank did not contain water.

The incident has once again raised concerns over the safety of school vehicles in the district. Critics allege that negligence by school managements, irresponsible driving and inadequate supervision by the Transport Department are together putting students’ lives at risk.

Repeated Accidents, Little Action

Although school vehicles in the district have been involved in accidents frequently, authorities are accused of failing to evolve a permanent solution. The Transport Department is responsible for ensuring that vehicles are fit for use, drivers possess valid qualifications, students are not overloaded, speed is regulated and safety norms are enforced.

However, questions remain over the extent of field-level inspections and the action taken against vehicles violating rules. Parents and locals allege that checks often remain confined to files rather than translating into effective enforcement on the ground.

Are Children’s Lives a Priority?

Private schools collect substantial transport charges from parents, but allegations persist that they are neglecting safe travel facilities for students. Overloading vehicles beyond their capacity, employing inexperienced drivers and poor vehicle maintenance are among the key concerns that require urgent attention.

School managements have a responsibility to reassure parents that their children are being transported safely. Instead, vehicles meant to take children to school are increasingly being viewed as a potential threat to their safety.

Need for Preventive Measures

Merely rushing to the spot after an accident, conducting routine inspections or ordering inquiries will not serve the purpose. Authorities must take preventive measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

A special inspection of school vehicles operated by all private schools in the district is necessary. Vehicles without fitness certificates or those failing to meet safety norms should be taken off the road immediately. Action should also be initiated against unqualified drivers and school managements that violate transport regulations.

Call for Stringent Action

Parents and members of the public are demanding that the District Collector and senior officials of the Transport Department respond immediately and conduct a comprehensive safety audit of school vehicles across the district.

They allege that unless the administration and school managements wake up now, another tragedy cannot be ruled out. No commercial interest or official negligence can be considered more important than the lives of schoolchildren, they say.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KOTHA RAMESH

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