Bengaluru: “There has been a consensus to block all school buses older than eight years. The Centre has taken the issue seriously and may soon ban it”, said Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy recently taking to the media.

He mentioned it would be difficult for each state to ban such buses and hence it is suggested that the Centre will take the lead and ban all such buses. “We may soon hear about the eight-year-ban from the Centre”, he said.

However, schools have strongly opposed the decision to ban school buses that were 15-years-old imposed by the National Green Tribunal.

“Every year, school buses need a fitness certificate and only if we meet regulations, we get one otherwise the buses are junked. When this is the case, why should someone ban eight-year-old school buses? What is the harm in running school buses when their quality is good? If the Centre goes ahead with it and bans our buses, we have no option but to transfer the entire burden on to the parents. This means the current school ferrying fee may be doubled. So, in the interest of parents and school-going children, the buses should not be scrapped,” said a school principal.