So, while the Maruti Omni that caught fire leading to the death of five school children in Jogeshwari on Monday did not even have a permit to operate as a school-van, other vehicles operating legitimately as school vans could be just as unsafe.

The GR of August 23, 2006, clearly lists 10 mandatory norms to be followed by bus-owners and contractors:

* Buses should have the words ‘School Bus’ written on the front and rear.

* If they are contracted by a school, the words ‘On School Duty’ should be displayed.

* They should have a first-aid kit.
* A fire extinguisher should also be placed in every bus.
* Windows should have protective grills, not just a couple of bars.
* There should be space beneath seats to accommodate school bags.
* The name of the school and its telephone number should be mentioned on the bus, even if it’s only on a sticker.
* At no time should the number of students exceed the seating capacity of the bus.
* Also, the bus driver should have a minimum five years’ of driving experience.
* He should have no criminal antecedents.

However, when Newsline reporters did a random check of schools across the city and found that from parents to teachers and from drivers to contractors, almost nobody is aware that such norms exist. At the Dr S Radhakrishna Vidyalaya in Malad (West), school coordinator Rakhi Nair admitted she was unaware of the rules. She said: “After the transport department came up with the rule that vehicles over 10 years cannot ply within the city, we had to scrap our buses and go for contracted buses. We never overload the buses and we do keep a first aid box in every bus,” she said.

At Santacruz’s Podar Education Complex, Pradeep Nair (in-charge of transport operations for Podar Schools) said that the school was aware of the GR, but admitted that perhaps not all their contractors follow all the rules. “Those which don’t have grills will be immediately instructed to arrange for the same,” he said.