Navi Mumbai: RTO and Education department intervene to end private school van strike

Panvel: The loggerhead over school consent letter for school van license to ferry students seems to have ended after intervention from MLA Balaram Patil. A meeting of Regional Transport Office (RTO), District Education, schools representatives and School Van Owners Association was held on Thursday, December 8.

Officials of the transport and education department said that it is mandatory for schools to give consent letters while clarifying the government's decision. “Education department also warned that if schools are found avoiding issuing consent letters, legal action by the education department can be initiated,” said Pandurang Humane, President of Panvel Vidyarthi Vahak Sansthan.

Renewal of school van license was stalled due to non-receipt of consent letter. Therefore, the transportation of students was being conducted without permission. Even though this matter is grave from the security point of view, the schools were reluctant to give the consent letter.

As soon as the Panvel Vidyarthi Vahak Sansthan led by Pandurang Humane began hunger strike and agitation, Regional Transport Office Panvel and District Education Department took the matter seriously and called an urgent joint meeting.

According to Pandurang, if the school gives a consent letter, the road tax will be just Rs 100 per seat. However, if a license is renewed without a school consent letter, the road taxes will be almost 10 times. “Even if we pay heavy road tax to get license renewal, we will collect it from students’ parents. This will impact them,” said Humane.