KOCHI: An alarming trend in the private transport sector has come to light, with a police report revealing that many bus owners are leasing their vehicles to independent driver-conductor groups instead of employing staff directly.
According to the report by the assistant commissioner of police (traffic), Kochi city, the practice prioritises profit over passenger safety, often leading to reckless driving, mismanagement and increased road accidents. Authorities are now set to scrutinise the financial records of these bus owners to determine whether they have been collecting a fixed rent from these groups instead of paying regular salaries, a practice officials say raises serious accountability concerns.
The report was filed following a Kerala High Court directive to submit an action-taken statement regarding an accident in which a young woman who was riding pillion on her husband’s two-wheeler was crushed to death at Menaka on March 14 allegedly due to rash driving by two private buses owned by the same person.
An investigation team has been constituted to conduct a detailed probe, and it will examine operational violations, illegal hiring practices, and other aspects to determine accountability. The report said the root cause of such an accident is the malpractice and operational violations by private bus permit holders.
“In this case, both buses belonged to the same owner, indicating issues related to their renting to groups and unauthorised hiring practices. If there is no proper documentation of salary payments, it may indicate an illegal hiring and management system, which will be examined as part of the investigation,” stated the report.
CCTV footage from various locations has been collected to analyse the movement and behaviour of the buses before the accident. They provide critical evidence of speeding, unauthorised stops, and possible competitive racing, all of which will be examined by the special probe team.
Meanwhile, the report said random inspection drives will be initiated to verify conductor licenses and check whether unqualified staff are employed. This will help identify and take action against bus owners illegally renting their buses to unauthorised groups.
“Strict actions will be taken against bus owners operating under illegal rental systems and cancellation of permits will be recommended for buses found violating rules,” said the report.
KV Manoj Kumar, senior government pleader, informed the HC that a request was submitted by the deputy commissioner of police to the transport commissioner on the necessary actions on private bus operations and safety measures following the accident at Menaka, along with instructions for rescheduling private bus timings in the city.
Swinging into action
Steps taken by traffic police to curb dangerous driving practices and improve public safety
A strict lane traffic control system has been implemented for private bus services in Kochi city to prevent overtaking
Private bus operators have been instructed to maintain the left lane consistently without fail
All police officers in the city have been directed to ensure private buses maintain a speed limit of 35 km per hour
Private buses must keep their doors closed during journeys and avoid
blaring horns
CCTV cameras are being used to monitor the speed of private buses near school areas
The Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) has been strengthened with efficient police personnel, enabling remote traffic monitoring from the control room