Mangaluru: Private vehicles transporting school children are likely to go on a three-day strike starting on Thursday, July 11, owing to a crackdown by the city police on drivers overloading their vehicles with passengers.
The association alleged that the private vehicle drivers are being fleeced by the police in the name of the enforcement of the High Court’s directive on overloading of children in the school transport vehicles. The association informed that they would stay away from work on Thursday and carry out a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Friday.
It can be recalled that the High Court had passed an order against overloading school children in vehicles. This directive was made after several fatal accidents involving children being ferried in private vehicles were reported. DCP (crime and traffic) Laxmi Ganesh and ACP (traffic) Manjunath Shetty had held talks with the office bearers of the Dakshina Kannada District School Children Vehicle Drivers’ Association to inform that the crackdown was in adherence with the High Court’s order and in the interest of the safety of the children.
City police chief Sandeep Patil informed that, as per the law, school transport vehicles are not allowed to carry an excess number of children and the High Court has also made specifications in this regard. “The High Court has directed that cases must be booked against vehicles carrying an excess number of children and is monitoring the action taken,” he said in a statement.
The police have informed the association that these points were communicated to them and have asked them to call of the strike so as not inconvenience the school children. They also urged the association to adhere to the rules so as to maintain the safety of the children.
