Private cars can soon run as school cabs in Delhi, Check new policy here
1 min read . Updated: 16 Dec 2022, 06:03 AM IST
PremiumUnder the new policy, the transport department plans to allow private car owners to operate their vehicles as commercial ones by making certain modifications like installing speed governors, and roof carriers to carry bags.
In Delhi, private cars will now be allowed to be registered as commercial vehicles and ferry schoolchildren after certain alterations under a new school cab policy prepared by the Delhi government, said sources on Thursday, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Under the new policy, the transport department plans to allow private car owners to operate their vehicles as commercial ones by making certain modifications like installing speed governors, and roof carriers to carry bags.
The policy shall be placed in the public domain after it is vetted by all departments, PTI reported.
Currently, if someone wants to run a cab for school children, they are supposed to buy a new vehicle and register it under the school cab category.
Once the new cab policy is in place, a CNG-fuelled private vehicle with a valid fitness certificate can be registered as a commercial one and get a permit for carrying school children.
The school cab policy was formulated in 2007. Ten years later, a condition stating that only new vehicles can be registered in this category was introduced.
Earlier in July this year, the Delhi government has also contemplated converting the registration of old cars to school cabs provided they meet fitness and other parameters. The government considered tweaking guidelines to allow registration of old vehicles as school cabs.
This came after Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) decided to stop providing buses to schools in the city from the new academic session because of the growing demand of its fleet for public transport.
If the old vans and cabs are allowed to be registered as school cabs, it will help ensure better safety of children as such vehicles will have to undergo fitness tests and fulfil other safety measures.
The school cab policy of 2007 allowed private vehicles, less than 15 years old, to be registered as school cabs in compliance with various safety measures. However after 2015, the Delhi government changed the guidelines and stopped the registration of such vehicles as school cabs.
(With PTI inputs)
