Pune: A significant disruption has affected RMD Sinhagad Springdale School in Warje Malwadi, as 18 out of 28 bus drivers have gone on strike due to non-payment of salaries for the past 37 months. The strike, ongoing for the last two days, has resulted in severe inconvenience for students and parents, with school bus services coming to a halt.
The school, affiliated with the CBSE board and run by the Sinhagad Technical Education Society, Pune, serves nearly 2,400 students from nursery to class XII. With a fleet of 30 buses and 26 permanent drivers, the school typically handles daily student transportation internally. However, the current strike has paralyzed these operations.
In response to the strike, the school administration brought in private drivers to maintain transport services. These temporary replacements were reportedly hired without essential background checks, including police verification and health assessments. This move has raised significant safety concerns among parents, especially since the school collects ₹20,000 per student annually for transportation.
Parents arriving at the school on April 15—the first day after vacation—discovered the absence of school buses and were informed by the protesting drivers about the reasons behind the strike. The sudden arrangement of private drivers without any formal verification has further fueled concerns over the safety and security of children.
The bus drivers, many of whom have been with the school for several years, have claimed that despite repeated meetings with key members of the school management, no resolution has been provided regarding their unpaid salaries. Parents have extended support to the drivers and urged the school authorities to address the financial grievances promptly.
Amid the ongoing agitation, local MLA Bhimrao Tapkir has intervened to mediate the issue and contacted school management representatives to find a solution. The Sinhagad Technical Education Society has reportedly assured that the pending salaries will be cleared once the necessary funds are released by the Social Welfare Department.
Efforts to reach school officials, including Chief Tukaram Navale, Administrator Vaibhav Dixit, and Principal Asha Dhore, have so far been unsuccessful.
In the absence of regular school bus staff, the administration has deployed private small-vehicle drivers who reportedly lack proper police verification and health clearance. This decision has prompted strong safety concerns among parents, with questions raised about the risks posed by such unregulated appointments.
