A series of alleged sexual abuse and molestation cases involving school vehicle drivers has renewed concerns over enforcing school transport safety norms in Lucknow. Transport department data compiled this month revealed that police verification of 524 of the district’s 2,370 school vehicle drivers returned adverse reports under Mission Bharosa.Mission Bharosa is an initiative aimed at ensuring the safe commute of schoolchildren through measures including police verification of drivers and attendants (Sourced)Mission Bharosa, an initiative aimed at ensuring the safe commute of schoolchildren through measures including police verification of drivers and attendants, has so far covered 2,370 school vehicle drivers in the district. According to the transport department, 1,846 drivers were found clear, while verification of 524 drivers returned adverse reports, raising concerns over whether schools and transport operators are adequately screening those entrusted with children’s safety.The issue has gained urgency after a series of incidents reported from different parts of Lucknow over the past two years. The latest case was reported from Malihabad on July 24, where a school van driver was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two seven-year-old girls. Earlier this month, a driver was arrested in Rajajipuram for allegedly raping a four-year-old student. Similar cases have also been reported from Indira Nagar, Gudamba and Sarojini Nagar in recent months.Officials said the problem extends beyond background verification. Several school vehicles continue to operate without functional CCTV cameras, GPS tracking systems and emergency contact mechanisms mandated under school transport guidelines. In many cases, these systems exist only on paper, while periodic inspections and compliance checks remain inadequate.“Driver verification data is being uploaded under Mission Bharosa and the exercise is being continuously monitored,” said Prabhat Pandey, ARTO (Enforcement), Lucknow. “If any school vehicle is found being operated by a driver with a criminal background, strict action will be taken. Children’s safety is our highest priority.”Officials said school vehicles are also required to display the driver’s details, emergency contact numbers and the school’s name prominently, while attendants must accompany younger children during transit. They added that enforcement teams conduct inspections but admitted that ensuring compliance across all school vehicles remains a challenge.Educationists and child rights activists said enforcement must move beyond paperwork and called for regular audits of school transport, surprise inspections and stricter accountability for schools and transport operators that fail to comply with safety norms. They said background verification should be complemented by periodic monitoring of drivers and mandatory functioning of safety equipment to make children’s daily commute safer.