Ferrying school kids: Overcrowded school vans still ply on Lucknow roads

The transport department has stepped up enforcement against unsafe school vehicles under its latest safety campaign. However, a Hindustan Times ground check, nearly two weeks before, has found that overcrowded privately operated school vans continue to ferry children on city roads, exposing a gap between the department’s enforcement figures and the reality faced by schoolchildren every day.

Under Mission Safe Future 2.0, conducted from August 11 to 25, the department found 144 school vehicles unfit in Lucknow, challaned 107 and seized 17. The campaign also covered driver verification and health checks. Yet, during HT’s ground check near schools in Hazratganj and Rajajipuram, several privately operated vans were found carrying children beyond their permitted capacity.

Near a prominent school in Hazratganj, more than four vans were seen ferrying students in overcrowded conditions. In one case, a seven-seater vehicle was carrying around 13 children, nearly twice its designated capacity. Several vans also appeared to lack basic safety equipment such as fire extinguishers and seat belts.

A similar situation was observed near a school in Rajajipuram, where privately operated vans were seen transporting students in overcrowded conditions.

The findings come despite the transport department maintaining detailed records of school vehicles and conducting special enforcement drives. Lucknow has 5,058 school vehicles registered on its School Vehicle Management System. Of these, 1,813 are school-owned and 3,245 are operated through contracted agencies.

Official claim

The department’s figures show that enforcement has intensified. Before the campaign, 60 vehicles in Lucknow were on the red list as unfit. Seven subsequently obtained fitness certificates, but 53 vehicles still remain without fitness certification. The department had also issued 171 notices related to unfit vehicles before the campaign.

During the 15-day campaign, another 144 vehicles were found unfit. Officials also completed 1,380 character verifications of school-vehicle drivers, including 1,276 before the campaign and 104 during it. Health checks were conducted for 288 drivers through four camps. Action under Section 53 was recorded against 95 vehicles before August 10 and another 29 during the campaign.

Ground reality

Despite these figures, the continued operation of overcrowded vans raises questions about the effectiveness and reach of enforcement, particularly against privately operated vehicles that pick up children from different neighbourhoods and transport them to schools and back.

The ground check also highlights a safety issue that may not be fully reflected in enforcement statistics. While official records capture vehicle fitness, challans, seizures and driver verification, overloading and the absence of basic safety equipment remain visible on the roads.

RTO (enforcement) Lucknow, Prabhat Pandey, said the limited enforcement manpower makes monitoring difficult across the division. “Lucknow division has only two enforcement officers. It becomes difficult to handle such a large area with such a large number of vehicles. However, checks on such practices are still going on,” Pandey said.

Division-wide picture

Across the six districts of the Lucknow division, the department has 10,464 school vehicles on its records. During Mission Safe Future 2.0, 439 vehicles were found unfit, 380 challaned and 109 seized.

Hardoi recorded the highest number of unfit vehicles at 138, followed by Unnao with 51, Rae Bareli with 52, Sitapur with 34 and Lakhimpur with 20.