SBOA invites photographs of potholes and illegal vans

Mumbai: In a bid to expose the failed claims of the government and civic corporation to curb the allotment of permits to schools vans and repair the potholes on city roads, the School Bus Owners Association has started a campaign inviting parents and bus drivers to click and post pictures highlighting the inhuman ways in which children are herded into vans as well as the travails of pothole ridden roads. The SBOA has also agreed to give cash rewards to the best photo, every week.

Speaking about the problem, Anil Garg, president of the SBOA, said that although the association had been pursuing both the issues for many years, the government and BMC had done very little to address them. In fact, in the case of vans, the government had gone about distributing permits even after the apex court and high court directed the state to adhere to the central government norms for school buses.

“Vans tend to overload children and at times are even seen herding upto 20 children. To highlight the plight of the children we have decided to start a photo and video campaign wherein photos and videos of vans carrying 20 children above 12 years of age will earn cash rewards per week. Drivers have been instructed not to use their camera phones while driving,” said Mr Garg.

On the issue of potholes he said that last year SBOA had refused to ply their vehicles on roads that were riddled with potholes. “This year potholes have developed on some of the roads again. We will be collecting photos and sending it to the BMC chief as well as the chief minister and the governor,” said Garg adding that the association would be bearing the cost of the rewards from its own pockets.