Operators given two weeks to start following safety rules

Karachi
On the request of private schools’ managements, the crackdown against school van operators for violating the newly-devised SOPs has been delayed till September 4.
This was announced by DIG Traffic Amir Ahmed Shaikh while talking to The News on Thursday. He said the traffic police had planned to initiate action against school van operators who violated the SOPs devised by transport authorities with help from his department.
However, the All Private Schools’ Management Association (APSMA) asked for a meeting on Thursday morning, a day before the crackdown was scheduled to begin. He said the members of the association visited his office and told him that the necessary changes had been made in 50 percent of the vehicles and required two more weeks to convert the remaining half.
However, he denied that any changes had been made in the rules or regulations for absolving the school managements of responsibility in case of any accident or tragedy, as claimed by the chairman of All Private Schools’ Management Association Sindh, Syed Khalid Shah.
DIG Traffic Shaikh said the association had assured that all the points notified in the SOP will be complied with but the transporters needed time till September 4.
In the mean time, directives have been issued to all sections of the city’s traffic police to get details of the van operators via a performa issued by the traffic police, which has to be filled and submitted before September 4. The performa has three categories under which information has to be provided by van or bus drivers of schools or colleges. They are details of the vehicle, driver and owner of the vehicle.
The details required about the vehicle include its registration number; make, model and type; year it was manufactured; colour; seating capacity; if it private or commercial; if commercial then assigned route permit and its expiration date. Besides, the fitness certificate is also required.
Details of the driver required in the performa are his name, father’s name, contact number, address, CNIC, driving license and its category.
The details required about the owner are his name, father’s name, contact and address, CNIC number, and how many vehicles does he utilise for transporting children to schools and colleges. DIG Shaikh said the traffic wardens have also been instructed to keep a close eye on the transport vehicles violating the regulations but hold off action till the crackdown begins in September.
“I have asked the traffic wardens to take photographs of vehicles still fitted with CNG and LPG kits and not following major key instructions,” he said. “The process of fines and action will begin from September 4.”
Replying to the remarks of van operators that they would agree to the terms only if the SOPs were applied to all commercial vehicles plying on the road, DIG Shaikh said the crackdown was not intended just for school van operators but will also take the public transporters to task.
“Since it is a matter of our children’s safety, we will focus on school vans in first phase of the crackdown. Once this is completed, we will move on to public transport vehicles,” he said.
DIG Traffic said the traffic police had given time to school van operators and administrations of schools, colleges and universities for removing CNG and LPG kits and painting the vehicles yellow, as prescribed in the SOP of the Sindh transport department. After the campaign begins on September 4, there will be no leniency for anyone violating the SOP. The van or bus transporting students will be impounded, and a case will be lodged at the relevant police station.
He reiterated that the same warning was also given to educational institutions offering transport services. Their licenses would be cancelled if they were found violating rules.

Private schools back SOP
On the other hand, the Private Schools Management Association on Thursday backed the decision of traffic police and Sindh transport department to regularise the pick-and-drop service in all educational institutes of the province, Zeeshan Asmat adds.
Its chairman Sharaf-uz-Zaman advised the transporters to follow the rules and regulations being introduced by the government.
The chairman of All Private Schools’ Management Association Sindh, Syed Khalid Shah, while taking to media at the Karachi Press Club said his association fully endorsed the government’s plan but had reservation over one point. However, he said, that point was removed when the association went to meet DIG Traffic Dr Amir Shaikh on Thursday.
“We were against the clause which held school managements equally responsible as drivers and transport service providers. But, this clause has been revoked and now only drivers and transporters will be responsible in case of any accident,” he said.
Shah said since the relevant authorities had extended the deadline, the transporters should take full advantage of it. He said the van operators should realise that the SOPs devised by the Sindh transport department and the traffic police were for the benefit of their own children.
“Our association will not provide shelter to transporters after the crackdown begins from Septemper 4,” he said. “If, schools administrations are willing to get petrol or diesel vehicles then the association will facilitate them.
School managements can only watch over the conditions of vehicles, not their drivers.”