PRAYAGRAJ, June 25 -- With schools set to reopen for the 2025-26 academic session after the summer break, the regional transport office (RTO) here has flagged a significant safety lapse concerning students' transport. District officials said 329 vehicles of several schools were found to be running without valid fitness certificates-a mandatory requirement for vehicles ferrying schoolchildren. In response, the RTO has begun issuing formal notices to the vehicle owners. The operators had been instructed to renew their fitness certificates immediately, and warned that failure to do so would invite strict action, said officials. Confirming the move, assistant regional transport officer (Administration) Rajeev Chaturvedi stated that the action was part of a broader effort to enforce transport regulations and ensure the safety of students. "All school managers and principals have been directed to verify the documents of all vehicles operating under their institution's name," said Chaturvedi. "Any vehicle currently operating without a valid fitness certificate or found to be in a bad condition must undergo a physical inspection by a technical inspector before being allowed to ply the road," he added.Among the official actions that can be taken against the violators are vehicle seizure and heavy fines. htc...