India, July 8 -- In a bid to enhance the safety of school-going children, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) has announced a new set of regulations for school buses and vans across Maharashtra. However, a ground check in Pune revealed that compliance remains uneven, with many schools and private transporters yet to implement key safety measures.

The Maharashtra government issued a government resolution (GR) on June 6 outlining mandatory safety norms for school transport. These include compulsory background checks for drivers and attendants, twice-daily alcohol and drug testing, prohibition on unauthorised persons boarding school vehicles, and mandatory installation of CCTV cameras and GPS tracking systems.

In addition, only vehicles wi...