AP Transport department on fitness drive

​Vijayawada: The Transport department issued fitness certificates to 4,207 school and college buses and rejected 467 buses citing poor condition. An estimated 21,273 buses are being used by educational institutions and the officials are yet to conduct fitness tests to another 16,600 buses in the State.

The officials are verifying brakes, engine, gear box, meshes, handles, colour, seating, headlights and other important parts before declaring the vehicle as fit. It should be noted that the educational institutions have been mandated to get fitness certificates for buses every year.

This rule came into force as allegations were rife that some educational institutions are buying out of condition buses from other States and are operating them to carry students, putting their lives in danger. The transport department has identified 467 such buses and rejected fitness certificates to them in recent weeks. The number of unfit buses may go up this year as the verification is not completed yet.

Transport commissioner N Balasubramanyam told press corps here on Thursday that all buses carrying students must get fitness certificate. He said the motor vehicle inspectors will drive the buses to verify the condition and later issue the fitness certificate. He asked the educational institutions to obtain fitness certificate before re-opening of the schools and colleges and warned stern action if they are found operating buses that lack fitness certificates.

Meanwhile, the transport department is also asking the vehicle owners to get permanent registration to their vehicles. According to department estimates, nearly 1.50 lakh vehicles are yet to take permanent registration certificates from the transport department.