Court pulls up 93 schools for skipping bus safety norms Nagpur: The Bombay High Court’s Nagpur bench on Tuesday criticized 93 schools in the city for failing to comply with mandatory safety protocols for school buses. The court noted that out of 131 institutions, only 38 submitted details about transport committee meetings, which are required to review student safety. The case originated from a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) initiated after the death of a schoolchild who was struck by a bus, highlighting systemic safety lapses in educational institutions. The court emphasized that schools must adhere to state norms requiring transport committees to meet every three months. These committees must include school heads and parent representatives to ensure accountability. Senior advocate Firdos Mirza, appearing as a court-appointed amicus curiae, supported the bench, while the state was represented by additional government pleader Deepak Thakre. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) was represented by advocate Abhay Sambre. The court directed all respondent schools to submit detailed records of transport committee meetings from the past two years. Despite an extension of the deadline, most schools failed to comply, prompting the court to order the government to issue formal notices to those who had not yet been served. The bench warned of strict consequences, stating that schools refusing to provide the information could face a penalty of 50,000 rupees each. The court underscored its concern over student safety, noting that compliance remained inadequate despite repeated opportunities. The next hearing has been scheduled for April 4, with the court stressing the need for stricter enforcement of safety measures to prevent future tragedies.#bombay_high_court #nagpur_municipal_corporation #firdos_mirza #deepak_thakre #abhay_sambre
