Close on the heels of the Kaithappoyil accident that claimed nine lives, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has stepped up surprise inspections on national and State highways to track private buses flouting safety norms.
Special squads will coordinate inspections and initiate spot action, including cancellation of permit and driving licence, against offenders. On the directive of the District Road Safety Authority (DRSA), the police too will be joining the MVD drive on accident-prone routes.
According to DRSA, tampering of speed governors is the main reason for the spike in road accident deaths in Kozhikode district. The authority also raises concern over the use of worn-out tyres and other mechanical faults in buses deployed for long-distance services. An increase in the number of such registered cases also underscores the concern of the authority. The latest figures available with the MVD show that no fewer than 46 driving licences have been suspended since the beginning of this month for violation of traffic rules. The total amount collected as fine from violators has come to ₹7 lakh.
ADVERTISEMENT
Officials said they had traced as many as 607 traffic offences, which was a clear warning to those who ignore safety norms. Meanwhile, in the wake of suggestions from various quarters, District Collector U.V. Jose directed the police to improve the speed detection camera surveillance on major routes where private buses engage in dangerous road race. This will be in addition to cameras installed to track violators at various accident-prone locations. Besides, the national highway division of the Public Works Department (PWD) is planning to erect more cautionary boards on dangerous stretches. The Adivaram-Kaithappoyil stretch of the national highway will soon get such boards in the wake of the recent accident.
“Operators of several inter-district bus services on the Thamarassery Ghat road give scant regard to safety norms and fitness of vehicles. Overloaded goods carriers are a usual sight here,” says Robin Mathew, a social worker. According to him, flash checking will never be a lasting solution to accidents on the stretch as “drivers are cunning enough to evade it”.