Even as the Transport Department stated that speed governors have been installed in almost all omnibuses in the State, the Madras High Court directed the government to verify the vehicles and file a compliance report.
When a PIL seeking a direction to authorities to regulate omnibuses in the State, including their fare, speed and permit, came up for hearing, the Transport Department, in its counter stated that all omnibuses have been installed either with speed governor or a specially designed “easy to use” version.
On their submission, the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam directed the government to verify the claim and file a compliance report.
Following a bus accident, which claimed 20 lives near Kaveripakkam in Vellore in 2011, petitioner Kasinatha Bharathi, in a PIL, contended that omnibus operators fixed their own fare and their buses were speeding on the highways. He further contended that there were no measures by the government to control them. Holding that no vehicle would be registered for violation unless speed governors were installed in compliance with Central Motor Vehicles Rules, the petitioner said there must be a maximum speed limit for these vehicles.
The then Division Bench directed all omnibus operators to install speed governors and if not the authorities should not issue or renew temporary permits or accept taxes from all India permit holders.
