THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSRTC-Swift, the new transport company formed to operate long distance services, on Wednesday dismissed two drivers who were involved in minor accidents within hours of the services’ launch on Monday.
The action came close on the heels of Transport Minister Antony Raju terming them as minor mishaps and saying they were blown out of proportion. However, a note from KSRTC-Swift said an internal committee that probed the accidents found lapses on the drivers’ part.
In the first accident at Kallambalam here, the bus’ rear view mirror, worth Rs 35,000, got damaged. The second accident was reported in Malappuram. The mishaps had caused major embarrassment to KSRTC-Swift, which claims to offer professional services.
Besides downplaying the incidents, Raju had also raised suspicions of foul play by the private bus lobby and asked KSRTC chairman and managing director Biju Prabhakar to approach the state police chief for probing the sabotage angle. He had dismissed allegations that the driver-cum-conductors had been trained poorly.