Schools are returning to normalcy from Wednesday but school buses have still not resumed functioning. Buses owned by many schools are not ready to return to the roads while in case of buses run by contractors, increased cost has become a factor that schools are negotiating.
After almost two years, schools in the city will resume normal operations with pre-Covid timings and 100 per cent offline learning. But with this move toward normalcy, school buses have become more important for parents, especially if both parents are working.
“In fact, due to unavailability of buses, we are allowing normal operations only for Class IX and X for now as children from that age group can travel on their own,” said Rohan Bhat, chairman of the Children’s Academy Group of Schools, which runs its own buses.
The administration is currently working on repairing the buses. “Our transport system, which was suspended during the lockdown, is yet to recover.”
Only two months remain before schools shut for the summer vacations. “They have hiked the cost by 30-40 per cent. We are in negotiation with bus transportation contractors to provide an economical package for parents,” said Fr Francis Swamy, principal of St Mary’s school.
Avinash Save, a parent from Dahisar, said, “Due to smaller number of students, school buses have not been plying. But now that schools are reopening, the cost has increased significantly.”
Bus contractors have their own complaints. The president of the School Bus Owners Association, Anil Garg, shared how contractors had to face major expenditure to make the buses safe to ply children.
“Almost Rs 2 lakh was spent on each bus. After not running for almost two years, the tyres, seats and batteries are not in good condition…the list goes on. Whereas in order to reapply for approval to run as a school bus, we had to fulfill all detailed criteria which also cost us,” said Garg.