Are school buses’ safety standards declining?

Many parents in Hyderabad are worried about their children’s safety as schools reopen and most school buses have reportedly not obtained fitness certificates for the current academic year. There are about 25,000 school buses in Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, and Medchal districts, but only 30% have had their fitness checked. The school management claims that all school buses will receive certificates within a week, but parents are upset that they have already collected transportation fees and now have to find alternate means of transportation until the buses resume service. M Dayanand, general secretary of Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union, says that over 70% of school buses have not been tested for fitness, and that the problem is mostly due to a lack of seriousness about children’s safety. The Road Transport Officials (RTA) seizing buses is not a solution, as it will only make students suffer without transportation.