RTO tightens screws on school buses, Serves notices to school managements!!
The issue of parking in Mulund, instead of being solved is, day by day, becoming gigantic. With private buses and trucks parked illegally on the roadside already a problem, the parking of school buses has added to the citizen’s woes. Further, with the Metro work in progress on the busy LBS Marg, the RTO has declared LBS Marg as ‘No Parking’ zone. As a result, the school buses which used to be parked on the roadside have encroached upon the empty spaces available in the streets and lanes of Mulund, thus making life difficult for the residents.
Residents living in the vicinity of St Mary’s Convent High School are worst affected as the entire road is encroached upon by school buses which stand in long rows one after another. Lamenting their grievances to Home Times, Mrs. Pinto, a resident of the area said, “The road becomes fearsome at night as the street lights on the roads are dim. As a result, due to the towering buses occupying one side of the road, the footpath becomes completely dark. Hence, it is dangerous to walk on the footpath. We have to risk our lives and walk on the road which, tragically, is half-encroached by the buses and on the remaining part vehicles move at fast speed. So, we literally walk on the road with our lives at risk.”
Another resident of the area mourned, “Some anti-socials in the area sit on the buses and peek into our houses. In fact, there have been many instances of theft in the ground floor apartments due to these anti-socials who take the advantage of the darkness and rob our houses.” She added, “What is worse is that these goons also drink alcohol and throw bottles in our society compounds.” Frustrated by the menace, the residents of the area came together and collectively filed a written complaint with the RTO demanding action against such school buses.
Likewise, same is the position in the St Pius School lane where many schools bus stand during the day. During afternoon, residents fear to walk on the footpath as these footpaths are generally occupied by rogues who gamble and drink behind these school buses. A resident said, ” In the afternoon ladies fear to move out due to these rascals. In fact, there have been instances of chain-snatching and looting, hence women are terrified to move out.”
When Home Times took the grievance of these residents to the RTO Senior PI. Sharad Ovhal, he said, “Earlier, the RTO would penalise the bus drivers and let them go scot-free, but now to tighten the screw on these errant bus drivers, the RTO has served notices to the administration of St Mary’s Convent High School and asked them to take responsibility for their school buses and school vans.”
He added, “Through Home Times, let me assure Mulund residents that the RTO has taken stern action against bus drivers. We have served notices to the School’s management and we are also daily taking action against errant bus drivers and penalizing them.”
