After 4 children charred to death in van, Punjab transport dept swings into action

Punjab's transport department on Monday launched a statewide drive to check road worthiness of school buses in the wake of death of four children after a van ferrying them caught fire in Sangrur.

During the checking of vehicles, the transport department authorities found various violations and issued challans, officials said here.

We have issued challans to 20 vehicles and also impounded five four wheelers in this drive so far, said an official of the transport department in Jalandhar.

Under this statewide drive, the authorities were checking overloading, fitness of vehicles, fire extinguishers in buses, first aid box, among other things, officials said.

Authorities were also checking private vehicles like three wheelers arranged by parents for sending children to schools, they further said.

Our effort is to ensure a vehicle plying on road should adhere to safety norms, an official said in Patiala.

Four children were charred to death when a ramshackle van of a private school ferrying students back home caught fire in Sangrur district on Saturday.

In the accident that took place on the Longowal-Sidsaachar road in Sangrur, eight children were rescued from the burning van by people working in nearby fields.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had ordered a magisterial probe into the incident while ordering the state transport department to launch a statewide drive to check road worthiness and fitness of all school buses.