By IANS
Ranchi : School buses have become terrors on wheels in the capital of Jharkhand, snuffing out lives at regular intervals.
On Monday, two persons were crushed under the wheels of school buses here. The first incident took place at Kokar, where a Delhi Public School (DPS) bus ran over a pedestrian who was crossing the road. The second incident occurred on Kake Road when a school bus hit a motorist.
Angry residents set ablaze the buses but the drivers and conductors managed to escape.
Principal of DPS Ranchi Mahesh Bareja said: “When the accident took place, the bus was not carrying any school students.”
Last year, a local Hindi newspaper journalist was crushed to death by a school bus. From 2003 till July this year, 1,406 Ranchi residents have died in road accidents and 20 percent of the deaths were caused by school buses.
To stop such accidents, the state transport department has asked schools to hire drivers who have at least 10 years’ experience. But authorities said that school managements often ignore the suggestion.
“The school managements often ignore the suggestion given by us and hardly inquire about the experience of drivers and their past,” said an official of the district transport office.
In Ranchi alone, more than 200 school buses ply everyday.
“We are planning to making it mandatory for schools to get a clearance from the office of the district transport officer before hiring buses and their drivers,” said district transport officer A.K. Banka.
Transport department officials point out that the buses meant for schools are also hired for other purposes and they often move into no-entry zones in violation of the rules.