CCTV Must Be Installed in School Transport Vehicles by July 31: RTO and Pune Police Launch Joint Inspection Drive
Pune, 23rd June 2025: The Pune Sub-Regional Transport Office (RTO) has issued a strict directive mandating the installation of CCTV cameras in all vehicles transporting school students by July 31, as part of a city-wide safety initiative.
A joint inspection campaign will be carried out by the Pune Police and Transport Department to ensure that school management committees and vehicle operators are complying with student safety norms. The decision comes after growing concerns over overcrowding and safety lapses in school transport services.
“Strict action will be taken against any vehicle found violating safety rules during inspections,” warned Swapnil Bhosale, Deputy Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Pune.
Trigger for Action
Following multiple complaints that school buses, vans, and rickshaws are carrying children beyond permitted capacity, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar convened a meeting with the transport department earlier this month. The outcome was a directive to rigorously enforce safety regulations and monitor implementation through joint inspections.
Key Guidelines to Be Enforced
- CCTV cameras must be installed in all school buses and vans by July 31.
- Police verification is mandatory for all school bus, van drivers, and conductors.
- Female attendants are compulsory in school vehicles that transport girl students or children under six years of age.
- Rickshaws are allowed to carry a maximum of five students only.
- The School Management Committee must actively monitor compliance through their School Transport Committee and Student Safety and Physical Facilities Committee.
Mandatory Eye Check-Up for Drivers
The Transport Department has also made it compulsory for school vehicle drivers to undergo an annual eye examination. Each driver must carry a valid certificate of the eye check-up, and schools are responsible for verifying this documentation. Any driver failing to comply should not be permitted to operate school vehicles.
Monitoring and Enforcement
The inspection campaign, starting soon, will cover Pune city and suburban areas where schools reopened on June 16. Authorities will assess whether schools and transport operators are meeting the new safety standards. Any lapses will attract immediate penalties.
