The Madras High Court on Thursday took serious note of the photographs published in a couple of newspapers of some schoolchildren travelling not only on footboards of government buses but also standing on window frames holding onto the roof.

Shocked to see the photographs produced by advocate Y. George Williams, the first Division Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar directed the High Court Registry to take up the issue of unsafe travel by schoolchildren as a suo motu public interest litigation petition and list the case for hearing on Friday.

‘Govt. must take a call’

When the Chief Justice wanted to know why the State government was not operating special buses for the exclusive use of schoolchildren, Government Pleader (in-charge) T.N. Rajagopalan sought time to get instructions from the officials concerned. He also said that the state transport corporations must take a call on the issue.

In his submission, Mr. Williams said all government buses must have doors at exit and entry to prevent students from travelling footboard by clinging either to the railings or the window rods. He also said that a mechanism should be devised for ensuring smooth entry and exit into the buses, in an orderly manner, at bus stops. The lawyer said that at present people compete with each other to find a place in buses, forcing students to travel in dangerous ways.

Senior Counsel V.T. Gopalan, who was there to argue another case, also told the judges that it was a serious issue which required the intervention of the court.

After asking Mr. Williams to present his arguments on Friday when the suo motu PIL petition would get listed, the Chief Justice said that her Bench would direct the transport corporations to operate special buses for schoolchildren.

The Registrar (Judicial) was directed to number the petition on the basis of the photographs published in newspapers.

As carried on TH