Maharashtra Govt To Permit Only 12-Seater School Vans Equipped With Enhanced Safety Features
Maharashtra Govt To Permit Only 12-Seater School Vans Equipped With Enhanced Safety Features
Mumbai, August 12, 2025: In a major relief for parents struggling with the rising cost of school bus fees, the Maharashtra government has announced its approval for specially designed and licensed school vans, equipped with advanced safety features. The initiative, aimed at ensuring safer student transportation and creating employment opportunities, was confirmed by Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaiak.
Speaking on the development, Minister Sarnaiak said, “The safety of students in transportation is our top priority. At the same time, this policy will provide jobs to unemployed youth who wish to operate licensed school vans.”
The new policy will allow the issuance of licenses to those starting student transport services with four-wheeled vans having up to 12+1 seating capacity. Maharashtra will be the first state in the country to roll out such vans with modern safety systems, meeting the updated School Van Standards (AIS-204) formulated by the central government, based on the existing School Bus Standards (AIS-063).
Each approved school van will be BS-VI compliant and include features such as:
GPS tracking system
CCTV with dashboard display
Fire alarm system
Door-open warning alarm
Speed governor with a limit of 40 km/h
Panic button and emergency exits
Low entry step for young children
Roof display of school name
Additionally, the vans will have proper seating arrangements, storage racks for school bags, water bottles, and other essentials, along with improved stability to reduce rollover risks compared to rickshaws.
This decision follows discussions between the transport department, parents, and bus association representatives, where concerns about unauthorised vehicles being used for student transport were raised. The state had stopped issuing school van permits in 2018 after petitions in court questioned their safety. Now, with updated regulations aligned to national standards, the government will soon issue an official notification to start the licensing process.
Parents often resort to unlicensed rickshaws for affordability, but officials say the new vans will offer better safety, reliability, and comfort for children, while also addressing employment generation in the sector.
