KOLLAM: With the start of the academic year just days away, the fitness testing of school vehicles has come to a halt due to technical issues in the Vidya Vahini app. The app, mandated by the government for the registration of school vehicles this year, has been experiencing glitches, leaving many registrations incomplete. The management of educational institutions stated that the glitches in the app have created confusion and delays.
The app requires each institution to input information such as the mobile numbers of the driver, helper, and parents of the students. Additionally, the addresses of the driver and helper, the travel route of the bus, and other certificates related to the vehicle must be entered. Only after this information has been submitted can the institution apply for the fitness certificate at the respective RTO offices.
“During the early hours, the app is down, making it impossible for us to register the information. We support this government initiative and believe it will enhance the safety of our children. The fitness certificate must be issued before schools open. We hope the app’s issues will be resolved soon, as the school opening is just days away,” said Abraham Thalothil, director of Brook International School, Kollam.
Schools and college authorities have complained that the RTOs have not been responsive regarding issues with the app. “The RTO officials have not communicated any updates regarding the registration in the app before the fitness test of vehicles. Therefore, we have decided to take our vehicles for the fitness test and do the spot registration if RTO officials permit,” said Sadiq S Thaha, administration head of TKM College of Arts, Kollam.
The app also allows parents to track the bus route their children are taking. It provides details about the vehicle’s speed, which can be monitored through the app. If the driver exceeds the allotted speed limit, a message will be sent via the app to the parents, school, and RTO authorities.
Meanwhile, RTO officials have stated that necessary actions are being taken to resolve the issues with the app.