09 May,2026 12:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
File Photo
The Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) on Friday granted interim relief to Kiran Bidkar, the Nagpur Regional Transport Officer (RTO) who was suspended over alleged negligence linked to a fatal school vehicle accident that occurred in 2025, reported PTI.
The tribunal stayed Bidkar's suspension and directed the Maharashtra government to allow him to resume his duties immediately pending further hearings in the matter. The order came after Bidkar challenged the disciplinary proceedings initiated against him under the Maharashtra Civil Services Rules, reported PTI.
"The order of suspension stands stayed till further orders. The applicant shall be permitted to join the post today itself," the tribunal stated in its interim order issued on Friday.
Bidkar was suspended earlier this week in connection with a September 12, 2025, accident involving a school van and a school bus in Nagpur. The collision claimed the lives of a student and the driver of the school van, triggering scrutiny over compliance and enforcement measures related to school transport vehicles, reported PTI.
According to the Maharashtra government's suspension order, the school van involved in the accident was allegedly operating without a valid fitness certificate at the time of the crash.
Authorities alleged that Bidkar, as the head of the Nagpur RTO office, had prima facie shown "dereliction of duty, negligence and laxity" in carrying out his responsibilities related to vehicle fitness and regulatory oversight, reported PTI.
Following the incident, the state government initiated disciplinary proceedings against him under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979.
While granting interim relief, the tribunal also directed the Maharashtra government to file an affidavit responding to Bidkar's petition challenging both the suspension order and the disciplinary action initiated against him.
The case is expected to examine whether administrative lapses within the RTO office directly contributed to the operation of an allegedly unfit school vehicle and whether the suspension was justified under service rules, reported PTI.
The tribunal's intervention effectively allows Bidkar to continue functioning in his official capacity until further orders are passed after hearing detailed submissions from both sides.
The suspension gained attention because it came just days after Union Minister Nitin Gadkari commended Bidkar's work related to road safety awareness and enforcement measures in Nagpur.
In a letter dated May 2, Gadkari praised several initiatives undertaken under Bidkar's supervision, including road safety campaigns, awareness drives, training programmes for school bus and autorickshaw drivers, helmet rallies, and stricter traffic enforcement through electronic challan systems, reported PTI.
According to the letter, these initiatives had contributed to a reduction in road accidents and fatalities in Nagpur city.
The timing of the suspension, shortly after the appreciation from the Union minister, sparked discussions within administrative and transport circles regarding accountability, enforcement responsibility and regulatory oversight in cases involving road accidents and public safety.
The case has once again brought attention to the safety standards of school transport vehicles and the enforcement mechanisms governing fitness certification and compliance checks across Maharashtra.
Road safety experts have repeatedly highlighted concerns regarding overloaded school vehicles, expired permits, lack of fitness certification and insufficient monitoring by authorities.
The tribunal's upcoming hearings are likely to determine the future course of disciplinary proceedings against Bidkar while also shedding light on the broader issue of accountability in school transport regulation.
(With inputs from PTI)
