Kolkata Police and officials of the Motor Vehicles section of the state transport department are planning a city-wide crackdown on pool cars that are used by hundreds of children every day.
At a meeting attended by pool car union representatives and school bus operators of the city and officials of Kolkata and West Bengal Police, presided by transport secretary N.S Nigam, it was decided that a crackdown is urgently needed to make drivers more cautious.
Pool cars found to be “unfit” will be required to get re-tested for fitness within a day. Even vehicles which have a fitness certificate but are found to violate rules will be required to undergo testing, officials said.
Violation will include plying with broken doors or old tyres or without speed-limiter. Vehicles found with these will be seized under the West Bengal Motor Vehicles Rules. Repeat offenders will have the registration of their vehicles cancelled.
The state transport department will ask the school education department to hand over relevant data on the pool cars to them. Parents will also be asked to inspect pool cars for themselves before opting for one.
Pool cars found to be “unfit” will be required to get re-tested for fitness within a day. Even vehicles which have a fitness certificate but are found to violate rules will be required to undergo testing, officials said.
Violation will include plying with broken doors or old tyres or without speed-limiter. Vehicles found with these will be seized under the West Bengal Motor Vehicles Rules. Repeat offenders will have the registration of their vehicles cancelled.
The state transport department will ask the school education department to hand over relevant data on the pool cars to them. Parents will also be asked to inspect pool cars for themselves before opting for one.
Pool car owners have said that they are compelled to carry more students than what is allowed because the parents are not ready to increase fees.
The state government is taking these steps especially after a pool car in Hooghly’s Polba carrying 15 students met with an accident. Two of the students injured are critical and under life support in Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital.
The state government is taking these steps especially after a pool car in Hooghly’s Polba carrying 15 students met with an accident. Two of the students injured are critical and under life support in Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital.
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