The fitness certificates of 309 stage carriers were cancelled by the Motor Vehicles Department on Saturday across the State after it was found that the mandatory speed governors were either tampered with or removed.
The State-wide drive was launched at the initiative of Transport Commissioner Rishi Raj Singh in the wake of Friday’s mini-bus accident near Perinthalmanna in Malappuram that claimed the lives of 13 people. Speeding was found to be the main reason for the increasing stage carriers accidents in the State. Of the 309 stage carriers whose fitness certificates were cancelled, 34 are from Malappuram from where accidents had been reported even on Saturday.
As many as 26 fitness certificate of stage carriers were cancelled in Alappuzha, four in Thiruvananthapuram, 16 in Ernakulam, 24 in Muvattupuzha, 20 in Kottayam, 23 in Idukki, 35 in Palakkad, 21 in Thrissur, seven in Kollam, 34 in Kozhikode, two in Kannur, seven in Wayanad, 15 in Kasaragod, 18 in Attingal, and 25 in Pathanamthitta.
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The fitness certificates of 14 Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses were also cancelled during the drive.
Official sources said the drive against the stage carriers that violated the speed governor rules would continue in the coming days.