Gautam Budh Nagar to enforce tighter school transport checks

The Gautam Budh Nagar administration has mandated an urgent fitness verification drive for all school vehicles while also ordering a strict enforcement of the “no helmet, no fuel” policy across the district as a measure to strengthen road safety and curb accident fatalities, officials said on Monday.

District magistrate Manish Kumar Verma, chairing a joint meeting of the district road safety committee and school transport safety committee, has called for launching an urgent fitness verification drive for all school vehicles and instructed the transport department to collaborate with the education department for it.

Drivers of school vehicles will also undergo regular health check-ups, according to the directions. “No unfit vehicle will be allowed to operate,” the DM said, adding that awareness campaigns at the village level would also be intensified.

The DM during the meeting also directed that two-wheeler riders without helmets be denied fuel at petrol stations. Those without helmets or seat belts will also be barred entry into government offices, universities, private institutions, and public places.

“Road safety is a very serious matter, and all departments must work in close coordination to ensure strict compliance with the regulations,” DM Verma added.

Unauthorised road cuts are to be closed or regularised, and a special action plan will be prepared to identify and rectify black spots, assistant regional transport officer Udit Narayan Pandey said. Traffic police have identified 29 black spots, including Shipra Mall Underpass, Mahamaya Flyover, and Rajnigandha Crossing. In 2024, Noida recorded 1,156 road accidents, resulting in 966 injuries and 462 fatalities.

The action plan also includes removing stray animals from roads and stricter checks against unauthorised vehicles, officials aware of the development said.