The Allahabad High Court has noted that school vehicle drivers found to have adverse reports upon police verification raise a serious issue directly affecting the safety of minor children. The Court was also told that members of the Bar had suggested that school van drivers could, where possible, be women to ensure children's safety.

The bench of Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Brij Raj Singh was hearing a public interest litigation concerning the safety of educational institutions in Uttar Pradesh when it was informed that 527 out of 2,370 school vehicle drivers had been found to have adverse reports under “Mission Bharosa” following police verification.

It then observed,

“The Transport Department, it seems that has collected data and from the Police verification it has been found that 527 drivers out of total 2370, school vehicle drivers have been found having adverse report under "Mission Bharosa". It is again serious issue which directly effects safety of minor children. Number of member across the Bar have stated that it can be considered that the schools van drivers should, if possible, be female drivers to ensure safety of the school children.”

The Additional Advocate General submitted that he would consider the suggestion regarding female school van drivers and seek instructions.

It was further submitted that incidents had been reported of minor children being sexually harassed by drivers of school buses and vans. Referring to Section 222(b) of the U.P. Motor Vehicle Rules, it was pointed out that licences granted to private buses and agreements between schools and private transport agencies must contain terms addressing the issue. Similar provisions were also sought for school vans, with school managements required to verify the credentials of drivers engaged for transporting children.

The Additional Advocate General said the matter would be brought to the notice of the concerned authorities and their response would be placed before the Court.

The Court also considered other safety concerns affecting schools.

The Amicus submitted that non-structural dangers also required attention, pointing to approximately 4000 schools in the State over which high tension electricity lines pass, and to incidents in which such lines had fallen on schools. He relied on a study published in “Hindustan Times” on 25^th July 2026.

Observing that “an important issue has been brought to our knowledge, which also needs to be looked into”, the Court directed that U.P. Power Corporation Ltd. through its Managing Director be impleaded as a respondent, and asked the Additional Advocate General to communicate the order to the competent authority and obtain its views by the next date of listing.

Referring to newspaper reports of the collapse of the school building of Samri Primary School, Block Mungrabadshahpur, District Jaunpur, on a day the school was closed, and to the death of an eight year old boy crushed under a collapsing iron gate at a school run by the Department of Divyangjan Sashaktikaran in Lucknow, the Court observed

“Mention of the aforesaid facts is only to show that the task at hand is very important and urgent and accordingly we expect the State and agencies to act in a manner so that greatest efforts can be made to make the educational institutions a safe place for our children.”

A preliminary report filed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Lucknow was taken on record, rating seven schools good, five average and five poor on deployment of Marshalls. The Amicus informed the Court that the SOP being prepared with the assistance of the educational institutions was at a final stage.

It was also submitted that CCTV cameras are being installed at the entry gates of schools to manage traffic around educational institutions in real time from the control room, with the number of cameras required and their estimated cost to be placed before the Court on the next date.

The Court modified its earlier direction requiring the State to verify the credentials of the personnel deployed to inspect schools, holding that the inspection of the schools will not be made subject to that verification. The successful bidder has been directed to transmit the data of its inspecting staff to the State Government forthwith, and the State is to take steps for verification at its end in due course.

The Additional Advocate General submitted that about 2000 staff had been asked to be provided by the successful bidder and were undergoing orientation and training for the inspection work. The agency itself held the entire data and credentials of the inspecting staff, which would be forwarded to the State Government, but tasking the State with verification as well would delay the inspection further. The Court accepted the submission.

The matter has been listed on 18.08.2026.

Case Title: Gomti River Bank Residents Thru. Secy. Mr. Girdhar Gopal v. State Of U.P. Through Prin. Secy. Housing And Urban Dev. And Ors.

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