Because when children are sitting inside school buses,even small negligence is not small thing ah.
On June 22 ,2026,Thane Traffic Police carried out inspection between 7 am and 9 am . In that short window itself,officials checked 370 school buses and evaluated 366 drivers from 93 educational institutions.
And focus was not just random checking . They looked at vehicle documents,driver identification badges,uniform adherence and whether mandatory CCTV cameras were actually working or not . Basic things,but these basic things only decide how safe daily school travel is.
But one incident from Ambernath West is really worrying . Police caught one driver,identified as Baba Manjiri ,aged 26,driving under influence of alcohol . This is school transport we are talking about,not some casual private trip .
Police then registered criminal case against him . And honestly,that action was needed because drunk driving with children involved crosses every limit.
Few things standing out clearly in this drive:
- 370 school buses inspected — aimed at ensuring student safety and compliance
- Drunk driver arrested — Baba Manjiri found under the influence
- Safety warnings issued — parents urged to report suspicious driver behavior
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Pankaj Shirsat also warned that drunk driving,especially in school transport,will bring serious legal action . And tbh,this warning should reach every school management also,not just drivers.
Traffic department has asked school managements to conduct routine breathalyzer tests for drivers . Parents have also been told to stay alert and report any suspicious behaviour by school transport staff . Because many times parents notice things first,but ignore thinking maybe nothing serious.
And this whole case shows one uncomfortable reality . We trust school buses every morning with children’s lives,but how many times do we actually know if driver is fit,vehicle is checked,CCTV is working…
Somewhere between routine school rush and daily traffic,these safety checks cannot become formality only . Otherwise one morning mistake can become something nobody can undo…
