Maruti Suzuki recently revealed the upgraded version of its very popular OMNI and EECO cars, which will be available in both LPG and CNG options.
The recent move by the leader is seen as a great initiative directed towards satiating the transportation needs of school children, wherein the modifications have been made to maximise the use of its cars as school vans.
The school vans have been produced through a joint venture of Maruti and Mahalaxmi Automotives, one of its Pune dealers, in order to comply with the rules and regulations of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles (School Bus Regulation) Act, 2011 in every way. The cars were launched in the city on Sunday, with a total of 18 Maruti Omni school vans provided to various individuals who are involved in the business of transportation of school children.
Speaking on the occasion, Rohit Goel, Regional Manager, Maruti Suzuki said, “In order to facilitate the individuals purchasing the vehicles, the company will provide a one-stop solution for school van buyers including easy finance and modification as per school bus norms of the state. The school van initiative would soon be extended through its entire network in the state. The process for the same has been standardised across the region for maintaining the quality standards. Maruti will also take initiative in creating awareness about this school bus policy across various schools and operators.”
He further added that as against the cities like Mumbai, where children use buses and auto rickshaws to reach school, such vans would be more relevant in smaller cities.
The worked-upon OMNI and EECO comprises useful features like seat belts, hangers to hold, safety grills, speed governor, first aid box and fire extinguisher.
The vans would possibly carry a yellow colour with red band as per rules, making it easy to identify as a school van. It is also available in Auto LPG and CNG Options. As the outset, Maruti will have one dealership point with Mahalaxmi Automotives in Pune. The price of the school vans start from Rs. 3.25 lacs.
Thus, with over 16 lac school children taking education in over 7000 schools in Pune district alone, the need to step-up the transportation system becomes all the more important.
