Patna: The Bihar Transport Department is preparing to launch a dedicated portal in August to improve the safety and monitoring of school-going children. The platform will digitally record details of more than 2 lakh school vehicles operating across the state.
Under the new system, buses, vans and autorickshaws used by private schools in Patna and other districts will have to be registered on the portal. The move is aimed at creating a centralised database of vehicles transporting schoolchildren and enabling authorities to monitor their compliance with safety requirements.
At the district level, District Magistrates (DMs), Superintendents of Police (SPs) and District Transport Officers (DTOs) will be able to monitor school vehicles online. Officials will have access to details related to vehicle fitness, insurance and drivers, allowing them to identify vehicles operating without valid documents or fitness certificates.
The system is also expected to help curb the use of unsafe or poorly maintained vehicles for transporting students. If a vehicle’s fitness certificate or insurance expires, the department will be able to identify the lapse and take action against the concerned school or vehicle operator.
Parents to access school vehicle details
The proposed portal will also provide parents with access to key information about their children’s school transport. Parents will be able to enter the registration number of a school vehicle and check details such as its fitness certificate, driver’s name, insurance, permit and pollution certificate.
The department also plans to place QR codes on school vehicles. Scanning the QR code will allow users to verify information about the vehicle and its driver, providing an additional layer of transparency and accountability.
Location and speed tracking planned
The Transport Department is also planning to connect school vehicles with a location-tracking system. This will allow authorities to monitor the location and speed of vehicles transporting schoolchildren.
The department has set a target of completing the registration and monitoring of all 2 lakh school vehicles by December.
“The portal for registration of school vehicles will be launched next month. Through this portal, all school vehicles across the state will be monitored centrally,” said Raj Kumar, Secretary, Transport Department.
The initiative is expected to provide authorities with a centralised mechanism to monitor school transport and give parents greater access to information about the vehicles carrying their children.
