Taking suo moto cognizance of school and college students travelling in packed State-run buses in a dangerous manner, the High Court of Madras has asked the State why it hadn’t considered the possibility of operating ‘students-only’ special buses so as to cover all the schools and colleges.  State has been asked to respond by today.

Advocate George Williams appeared before a Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Sundar and showed a newspaper photograph from Tamil daily Dinakaran dated 25.10.2017.  He said that students had been undertaking dangerous journey by buses as sufficient number of buses are not operated during peak hours to meet this need.  I wanted to bring this to the attention of the Hon’ble Court,” he said.

Shocked at the photograph showing a crowded bus and students travelling by food-board in huge numbers, the CJ wondered why the Govt. was not operating ‘students-only’ special buses.  Taking suo moto action, she further directed the Govt. of Tamil Nadu and the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) to furnish a reply-cum-explanation in this regard.

Govt. Pleader Rajagopalan sought a few days’ time for the Govt. to respond.  CJ, however, was in no mood to relent.  “It’s a very important issue concerning students’ safety.  Furnish your reply tomorrow when the case would be taken up as an emergency case,” said Chief Justice Indira Banerjee.