In an unfair move that would trouble travellers, some of the inter-district private bus operators have been suspending their trips midway citing disruption of time schedule caused by unexpected traffic blocks. Without making any alternative arrangements, they would ask the passengers to get out of the bus.
In a recent incident, the travellers in a Kozhikode-bound bus were asked to get down on the National Highway at Koyilandy after a traffic jam near the Moorad Bridge. When some of the senior citizens refused to get out of the bus, the crew showered them with abuses.
“The angry driver reacted in a nasty way by dangerously increasing the speed. We were quite helpless as there were no checking squads to intercept the vehicle,” said a senior citizen.
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Another senior citizen said there were several private bus operators who stopped the trips abruptly, putting the passenger in trouble. “Often they suspend the evening trips. While a few conductors try to make arrangements with other buses, most others just give back the ticket fare and ask the passengers to go the way they want,” he said.
Kozhikode Regional Transport Officer C.J. Paulson said the issue would be taken up seriously on getting solid complaints from the travellers. “The bus operators have no right to cancel trips except in case of any mechanical faults. People can contact the RTO on the phone 8547639011,” he said.