Overused tyres, inaccessible emergency exits and tampered speed governors put at risk the safety of commuters in scores of private buses in the district despite the efforts of the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) and police to enforce rules.
The MVD squad that denied fitness certificate to around 55 educational institution vehicles on safety reasons during the pre-monsoon check up is yet to conduct such a broad check for private buses that play a major role in the city’s transportation. Only an awareness class was held for around 300 drivers, asking them to follow the safety guidelines and without promptly inspecting their compliance with the directions on the road.
The situation was same last year when only 26 private buses were kept off the road by the MVD to correct the tampered speed governors. It was at a time when the total number of private buses plying in the district was around 1,500. The total number of accidents, as per police records, was then 1,542 claiming 145 lives.
Of the 76 surveillance cameras in various locations of the city, 27 are now out of order.
Since the beginning of this monsoon season, no regular checking was conducted to track speed violations or tampering with speed governors other than just surprise inspections, where only a few violators were netted. Operation Rainbow, a special drive launched by the Traffic Police, too was proved vain with focus on short-term inspections.
Regional Transport Officer C.J. Paulson, however, claims that the MVD is very much on the alert for ensuring the safety of commuters. With skeletal staff, the MVD could conduct only periodic inspections. “On Wednesday we checked the speed governors of several vehicles and initiated action against the violators,” he said.
The Kozhikode District Bus Operators’ Association (KDBOA) feels that only a stern action by the MVD or the police will discourage the drivers from committing road offences such as rash driving, lane traffic violations and jumping of signal lights. Leaders of the association say that no bus owner will encourage speeding to rasie collection as accidents will cost them dear.
“Awareness sessions seem to be of no use as there are still drivers who misuse mobile phones during their driving and chew pan masala. No bus owner is endorsing any tampering with speed governors; it is done without their knowledge,” says Suresh Babu, an office-bearer of KDBOA. He also alleges that it is the poor enforcement of rules that actually helps rogue drivers to continue in the field.
