More than a year after the authorities directed educational institutions to strengthen safety mechanisms in school buses through the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and GPS-enabled tracking systems, implementation remains patchy across the district, raising concerns among parents and road safety officials.

Although schools reopened for the new academic year two weeks ago, a majority of government, aided and unaided institutions are yet to comply with the directions jointly issued by the Motor Vehicles department, police and the Education department. The order, circulated at the beginning of the previous academic year, had envisaged completion of the process within a specified time frame. However, progress on the ground has been limited.

Parents allege that several schools have shown little interest in implementing the measures despite repeated discussions on student safety. According to them, many institutions have neither initiated procurement procedures nor held detailed discussions on the installation of surveillance and tracking systems.

The delay has drawn criticism, particularly because some school managements had earlier revised transportation charges, citing plans to improve safety infrastructure, including CCTV cameras, RFID-based student facilitation systems and GPS-enabled real-time vehicle tracking. Parents have complained of negligence on the part of school authorities despite repeated instructions from the Education department.

Meantime, school authorities point to a set of challenges. According to them, financial constraints and logistical difficulties are hindering the installation of the systems. Some managements also claim that they would have to take buses off the road temporarily for the installation process, which may disrupt transportation schedules. Others highlight the additional expenditure involved in maintaining digital monitoring systems.

However, MVD officials maintain that the measures are essential for ensuring the safety and accountability of school transport services. According to them, CCTV cameras installed inside buses can serve as crucial visual evidence in the event of accidents, security incidents or complaints against bus crew members.

The GPS-based tracking system was proposed to enable parents to monitor the movement of school buses in real time. It would provide updates on arrival and departure schedules, while enhancing transparency and improving emergency response during unforeseen situations.

The push for stricter monitoring gained momentum following complaints in previous years alleging inappropriate behaviour by bus employees. The measures could also address concerns over student safety during transportation. Transport authorities insist that digital surveillance can act as both a deterrent and a source of evidence for complaint verification.

MVD officials say that the GPS platform can also store route histories and operational data for extended periods, enabling schools and regulators to review service quality and verify travel records when required. While an application was reportedly developed to facilitate vehicle monitoring, its widespread deployment has faced hurdles, including the cost of maintaining dedicated server infrastructure.

At present, only a limited number of institutions, largely among international and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools, have adopted comprehensive tracking and live-monitoring systems. In contrast, compliance among many other schools remains low despite the official mandate.

The continued delay has become more noticeable at a time when an increasing number of private operators and commercial transport providers have voluntarily adopted on-board surveillance systems to document incidents such as theft, road altercations and passenger misconduct.

With another academic year under way, parents and safety advocates are urging authorities to intensify enforcement measures and ensure that schools implement the prescribed safeguards without further delay, arguing that students’ safety cannot be left to administrative convenience or financial considerations. They demand legal action against those who wilfully delay the implementation of the measures.