KOCHI: A pedestrian is mowed down by a private bus. Authorities announce special enforcement drives. Drivers are booked, vehicles inspected and warnings issued. Then, until another life is lost on the city roads, the question of whether these measures have had an impact remains largely unanswered.
The death of a woman who was run over by a private bus on Wednesday has once again brought the city’s troubled private-bus operations under scrutiny. While the police and the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) have stepped up enforcement against speeding and competitive driving, a former senior transport official says the problem runs deeper than violations on the road.
The recurring accidents involving private buses have exposed a larger failure to address the conditions under which they operate outdated schedules, traffic congestion, inadequate infrastructure and the absence of dedicated bus corridors.
City commissioner R Nishanthini said a special drive targeting private buses involved in speeding and racing had been launched on Wednesday evening. “We have already taken several decisions to curb such practices. The existing measures will now be strengthened. We have also been registering cases for rash and negligent driving. We intend to proceed more stringently because lives are being lost,” she said.
Transport commissioner G Sparjan Kumar said the MVD was carrying out enforcement to the maximum extent possible with its available resources, in coordination with the police. Ernakulam would receive particular attention, he said.
“We are doing our best with the available manpower and infrastructure. Special enforcement drives are being conducted. We have also directed private bus owners to verify the backgrounds of their drivers and crew members. The responsibility for this lies with the owners. Recent High Court directions have also stressed verification and profiling,” he said.
However, Antony B J, former deputy transport commissioner, said repeated enforcement drives would have limited impact unless the operational problems faced by private buses were addressed.
He said drivers often attempt to compensate for time lost in traffic congestion by speeding on relatively clear stretches, partly because the existing schedules were drawn up for road conditions that have since changed.
“The buses have neither been given adequate time nor sufficient road space. The timetables are outdated and cannot be followed under present traffic conditions. When drivers get caught in traffic blocks, they lose considerable time and try to make up for it by speeding elsewhere. This has been a problem for years, but it has not been properly addressed,” he said.
He said the government should consider dedicated bus lanes or introduce dynamic timetables that account for changing traffic conditions. Digital monitoring systems could also help regulate bus operations, he added.
“Public transport should not be operating under pressure to race against time. There should be a system that allows buses to maintain safe speeds. Either provide dedicated corridors or revise the timetables using technology,” he said.
‘ROAD SAFETY DIRECTLY LINKED TO FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO LIFE’
“Despite several rules governing rash and reckless driving, road accidents continue unabated, as though there is nobody to question offending drivers,” said Justice K Narayana Kurup, former Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court and former judge of the Kerala High Court.
“Under Rule 118 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, transport buses must have speed governors, which are inspected during annual fitness renewals. However, inspections should be conducted periodically to prevent operators from tampering with or bypassing these devices.
Aggressive competition between private-bus operators, unrealistic schedules, weak enforcement and lack of deterrence for repeat offenders further threaten road safety. “Road safety is directly linked to the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The state has a constitutional duty to take preventive measures rather than react after lives are lost. Rash driving resulting in death should attract stringent imprisonment, heavy fines, licence suspension and vehicle confiscation. Officials responsible for dereliction of duty should also face accountability,” Justice Kurup said.
BUS DRIVER HAS 6 CRIMINAL CASES AGAINST HIM
The driver of the private bus involved in the accident has a history of criminal cases, including drug-related offences and assault cases, the police said. The driver, Binoy C K, 43, had earlier been booked in two narcotics cases and two assault cases at the Thoppumpady police station and a narcotics case and a road accident case registered at Palarivattom station, said an officer.