Kids remain at risk despite 17 years of bus safety rules. New norms coming, but question is, will they work; multiple safety directives being issued since 2008
Indrani Malkani (L), activist, State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik (in black shirt and jacket), and others attend a meeting on school bus policy held at YB Chavan Auditorium on Thursday. Pic/By Special Arrangement
As the Maharashtra government prepares to roll out a new set of safety regulations for private school buses in the upcoming academic year, scrutiny is mounting over how these rules will differ from previous ones—and whether they will finally prove effective.
Since 2008, the state transport department has issued multiple safety directives through government resolutions (GRs)—notably in July 2008, March 2011, and 2013— followed by several amendments over the years. But despite these recurring efforts, lapses in implementation have persisted. A string of incidents highlights the continued risks faced by schoolchildren during their daily commutes.
With renewed public and administrative focus on student transport safety, all eyes are on the new regulations: what they propose, how they improve upon past guidelines, and whether they can finally bring meaningful change. To explore this, mid-day spoke to committee members drafting the new policy, school administrators, former officials, bus operators, and parent-teacher association (PTA) representatives.
The state transport department has announced that a new regulatory framework will be introduced next academic year. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said a panel—led by retired transport officer Jitendra Patil—will draft the rules after reviewing the old policy and consulting stakeholders.
The move comes amid complaints from parents about opaque fee structures and rising safety concerns. Proposed measures include mandatory panic buttons, fire-suppression sprinklers, GPS tracking, and CCTV cameras in every school bus. Operators collecting transport fees may also be required to provide centralised CCTV monitoring across their fleets. Additionally, Sarnaik has asked the panel to address parent demands for monthly fee collection instead of a lump sum.
These changes build on earlier state orders. Maharashtra first issued comprehensive school-bus guidelines in 2008, formalised in 2011 under the School Bus Rules. These mandated transport committees at schools to verify permits, fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, and other safety equipment. But implementation was uneven. A 2011 resolution intended for all 1,00,000+ schools was never fully executed. A stricter 2013 GR, which would’ve made principals responsible for transport safety and banned private vans and autos, was withdrawn after opposition.
Since then, child-rights panels have recommended additions—like mandatory female attendants and police-verified drivers—but follow-through has been spotty. Parents allege that enforcement gaps have allowed safety violations to continue. Some operators, they claim, charge an annual fee for only ten months of service.
Recent accidents underline the dangers:
In 2009, a bus fire in Panvel left several injured. In November 2024, a school bus crash in Nagpur killed a student. The bus lacked a valid permit and only secured few documents hours after the accident. April 2025 saw a Navi Mumbai bus driver arrested for sexually assaulting a four-year-old boy. Silent protests by parents followed.
PTA member Kalpana Kashyap-Kumar from south Mumbai said, “From 2008 to 2025, several new and amended policies have been announced, but cases of rash driving, abuse, and poor safety still continue. Either the rules are flawed, or they’re never implemented properly. It feels like we’re going in circles, and a solution is nowhere in sight.” School bus operators, however, are divided.
Anil Garg of the School Bus Owners Association (SBOA) questioned the need for new rules. “Every time there’s a new minister, there’s a new policy. We already have the 2011 policy and Supreme Court guidelines. What’s needed is ground-level enforcement, not more rules.” Garg added that illegal vans and auto-rickshaws ferrying children remain the real threat. “They’re overcrowded, unregulated, and ignored by authorities,” he said.
He also warned that mandatory GPS and CCTV will increase operational costs. Meanwhile, other states are also tightening norms. Bihar has mandated GPS, panic buttons, reflective signs, and first-aid kits on school buses, while Kerala will require three CCTV cameras per bus from April 2025. Cases of molestation and sexual assault by staff have pushed schools to install CCTV, conduct background checks, and appoint female attendants, but incidents continue.
Activist Indrani Malkani said, “During the meeting on Thursday, discussions were held regarding the concerns raised by various stakeholders, particularly about van operators ferrying school children. The primary issue is safe transportation of children to and from schools.”
Ten school bus incidents that made headlines
1. June 28, 2010
Std VII student Hamza Siddiqui (12) crushed by a school bus in Andheri (W).
2. October 2010
Sixty-eight students narrowly escaped after a bus rammed into a signal in Panvel.
3. Sept 22, 2011
Eleven-year-old Akib Shaikh fell from a moving bus in Bandra. No attendant present.
4. Nov 23, 2011
Nine-year-old Viraj Parmar died after hitting an ad board while leaning out of a bus window in Sion.
5. Dec 12, 2011
Farida Qazi (32) killed by a school bus at Kumud Vidyamandir premises.
6. May 2016
A 25-year-old driver arrested for molesting a nursery student.
7. Feb 2024
Attendant arrested for molesting six girls and two boys during a school trip.
8. June 2024
Three students injured in a JJ Flyover accident; driver lost control.
9. March 2025
Two school bus drivers arrested in Sion and Kurar for molesting minor girls.
10. April 2025
Bus driver arrested in Nerul for sexually assaulting a four-year-old boy.
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