Mahendragarh District Wakes Up to Road Safety Concerns After Tragic School Bus Accident

In the wake of a tragic school bus accident that killed six children in Mahendragarh, the district authorities have finally decided to hold a road safety meeting. This meeting, scheduled for April 15, comes four months after the previous one, which was held on December 12. 

The authorities' delayed reaction has raised eyebrows, as the meeting had been postponed three times in the past 20 days due to "administrative reasons." Moreover, the meeting's agenda highlights a stark difference in the authorities' enforcement efforts before and after the accident. 

In February, the authorities had only found and fined six school buses for not following the safety rules. They did not cancel or suspend the permits of any of these buses. However, in the three days since the accident, the authorities have impounded 46 school buses and fined 99 others, out of a total of 284 checked.

This raises the question: if the authorities could act so quickly and strictly after the accident, why didn't they do so earlier, when the safety of the children was at risk? The terrible accident could have potentially been prevented if the authorities had conducted such thorough checks and enforcement earlier.

Furthermore, the meeting agenda shows that in February, the authorities had fined 196 vehicles for speeding and 31 for drunk driving, but did not suspend the licences of any drivers. Mahendragarh district has also seen a high number of road accidents in recent months, with 227 incidents reported in the six months from July to December 2023, resulting in 113 deaths and 188 injuries, including 13 serious ones.

Deputy Commissioner Monika Gupta has stated that the authorities will ensure compliance with all safety rules for school buses going forward. However, the district authorities' delayed response and lack of consistent enforcement have left many questioning their commitment to road safety.