School buses and vans transporting students in Pune district will have to comply with additional safety requirements, including functional CCTV cameras, vehicle location tracking and fire-safety systems, failing which their licences could be suspended or cancelled.The decision was taken at a meeting of the Pune District School Bus Safety Committee held on Wednesday at the Pune Police Commissioner’s office. The meeting was chaired by Sanjay Darade, Joint Commissioner of Police, Pune city. The committee directed schools and school transport operators to strictly follow the school bus safety rules and ensure that vehicles used to ferry students meet the prescribed safety standards.One of the key directions is that CCTV cameras will be mandatory in every vehicle used for school student transport. Vehicles being submitted for renewal of their fitness certificates will have to have an operational CCTV system. The Regional Transport Office (RTO) will also take action against vehicles found operating without the required CCTV system during routine inspections.The state government had amended the school bus safety rules on July 16, 2026, adding several safety requirements for vehicles carrying school students. These include a Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD) compliant with AIS-140 standards and its integration with a command and control centre. School buses will also have to have a Fire Detection and Alarm System (FDAS) or fireballs weighing at least 1 kg each near the engine and emergency exit.The amended requirements also allow the use of a certified mobile or web-based application providing live vehicle tracking, digital attendance, automated alerts and role-based access to parents, school authorities and enforcement agencies. A feed of CCTV footage is to be made available to parents through the mobile application and to the RTO, police or education department whenever required. The footage must be backed up for at least 30 days.Attendance, supervision & medical checksSchool bus contractors have been directed to maintain student attendance records, including details of when children board and leave the vehicle.For students up to Class 5, every trip will have to have additional supervision through a woman attendant or other staff member. Special arrangements must also be made to help students with disabilities board and alight from buses. Depending on the requirement, schools will have to arrange for a teacher, counsellor or parent to accompany such students.Story continues below this adSchools and school bus owners have been given three months to comply with the safety guidelines. Vehicles that fail to meet the requirements could face suspension or cancellation of their licences.The committee has also directed schools and transport operators to prepare a Common Standard Agreement Contract covering school bus services with either the school or parents. The list of students being transported will have to be attached to the agreement.School bus fares to be fixed by RTASchool bus and van fares will soon be fixed by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), the committee said. Once the RTA determines the minimum fare, operators will not be permitted to charge more than 10 per cent above or below the prescribed minimum fare.The School Transport Committee at each school has also been asked to address complaints from parents relating to school bus services, safety and fares and submit a report to the District School Bus Safety Committee every three months.Driver, attendant verification made mandatoryStory continues below this adSchools and transport operators have been directed to appoint drivers, women attendants and other school transport staff in writing and complete their character verification and medical examination before appointment.They will also have to maintain records including police verification reports, appointment letters, training details and medical certificates and produce these documents whenever sought by the police, transport or other government departments. The committee has instructed schools and operators to conduct medical examinations of school bus drivers and attendants.For character verification, schools and operators have been asked to submit online applications through the website:https://pcs.mahaonline.gov.in/Forms/Home.aspx. According to the committee, the police department completes the process within seven working days.Schools have also been directed to update their information on the website: https://schoolbussafetypune.org/, including details of the school, management, number of students and teachers, headmaster’s contact details, meeting details of the School Transport Committee and information about school buses and vans, among other data.Story continues below this adThey will also have to provide details of CCTV cameras installed in school transport vehicles and the drivers and attendants appointed to operate them. The education department has been asked to issue appropriate directions to schools and review whether School Transport Committees have been constituted at the school level.The police and transport departments will also conduct joint inspection drives of vehicles transporting school students and take strict action against violations. The committee said the measures were aimed at ensuring safer transportation for schoolchildren and improving accountability among schools and school transport operators.