Two days after the Mudichur tragedy that claimed the life of a girl, the Chennai city traffic police began a crackdown on auto rickshaws overloaded with school kids.

“There will be cancellation of permits of vehicles and licenses of drivers found stuffing their autos with young students,” said a senior city traffic police officer on Friday.

Till now, 66 such auto rickshaws have been seized from different parts of the city and handed over to RTOs.

“We are checking these vehicles for traffic violation. The quality of the vehicle and fitness are being checked by RTO officials,” the officer added.

Apart from the police, RTO staff are also taking action against such autos. “At least 15 auto rickshaws and school buses were seized after they were found overloaded in Tondiarpet on Friday,” an official said.

While rules say an auto rickshaw can carry a maximum of five students below the age of 12 and not more than four students of age above 12, in almost all school-bound auto rickshaws in the city one can see students ‘packed like sardines’.

Auto rickshaws carry a minimum of eight to a maximum of 12 students by fixing extra seats. Even school vans carry 50 to 100 per cent extra students than the stipulated number.

112 vehicles fined in western TN

Every time a tragic road accident involving school children occurs, transport authorities immediately launch a crackdown aimed at damage control. However, these efforts fade as quickly as public memory.

Of the 2,082 school buses in Coimbatore, Tirupur and Nilgiri districts, transport authorities had earlier claimed to have given fitness certificate to all vehicles.

But during a recent drive after the death of Sruthi , authorities found that 371 vehicles had been plying without records.

Deputy Transport Commissioner, Coimbatore Circle, K.N. Uthayanun on Thursday directed the RTOs and Motor Vehicle Inspectors in Coimbatore, Tirupur and the Nilgiris to check the road worthiness and condition of all educational institution vehicles, including school buses.

During the inspection, of the 371 vehicles found with violations, a total of 112 vehicles were fined `17, 400. These vehicles were fined for plying without insurance certificate, driving license, pollution certificate and for being overloaded.

According to the transport department, every school bus or van should write ‘School vehicle’’ in bold letters on vehicles. “If a school rents vehicles, they should display a board ‘On School Contract’,” senior transport department officials said. Besides this, school buses should compulsorily have a first-aid box.

Secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause (CCC), K. Kathirmathiyon said school buses should be issued fitness certificates only after a thorough inspection. “Instances of fitness certificates being issued without vehicle inspection are on the rise of late,” he said.

Fear still pervades parents’ minds

After the bizarre death of a schoolgirl two days ago, alarm bells have begun ringing for parents in the city about the safety of their children.

Jeeva Rao struggles to find an alternative to the ubiquitous autorickshaw after her son studying in Class 2 in a Velachery school complained he was forced to share the autorickshaw driver’s seat along with another student.

“I was shocked when my son told me this as I was already shaken after hearing about Shruthi’s death. The driver packs more than 10 children in the auto,” said Ms Jeeva.

She added that the school bus charged around Rs 20,000. “If I have to arrange a separate auto then I have to shell out Rs 4,500 per month. My husband drops kids to school and the auto only picks them up from school and for that we pay Rs 1,000 a month,” she said.

Vyasarpadi resident Christina faced the same problem and she stopped sending her seven-year-old son in autorickshaws. “My son studies at a Purasawalkam school. When my son said the auto was too congested, I stopped sending him in it. Now he uses the school bus,” said Christina.

It’s a common sight to see children with their school and lunch bags hanging by the sides of the auto. Some autos even create extensions for seats, though this is patently illegal.

Parents say they prefer autos because they pick the children at their doorsteps. Riyaz, an auto driver says some autos even carry 12 children in a trip as the drivers want to make a quick buck.

A school principal said children seated in a congested autorickshaw were prone to joint problems.

hanging bags pose threat to motorists

Autorickshaws carrying school children not only show little regard for their safety but also for that of other commuters on the roads as they zip through the city with school bags hanging from hooks fitted to their sides, giving an open invitation to accidents.

“The drivers of autorickshaws ferrying school children fit a metal hook to the side of the vehicles and allow them to hang their bags from it, although this is risky for both the students and people on the roads,” says Rama, a housewife from Korattur, recalling that only a few weeks ago when she was visiting a relative in Perambur, a two wheeler rider was dragged for a few feet after his bike’s clutch became entangled with one of the bags hanging from an auto near the congested railway station. “The man escaped serious injury as he was wearing a helmet. If it had been a cyclist, it would have been a different story,” Ms Rama adds.

“The autorickshaws too can get entangled with heavy vehicles and be dragged along, endangering the lives of the children they are ferrying,” points out Mr.S.T. Ranganathan, an advocate.

When asked what action the department was taking against such autorickshaws, a transport official said such unsafe practices would be taken into account when framing rules for school vans as ordered to by the Madras High Court on Friday.