THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The new mandate of installing an additional driver fatigue camera in stage carriers is likely to delay the process of installing cameras inside buses. The additional requirement has come at a time when bus operators have begun installing cameras inside their vehicles following discussions with Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar.
The transport department had previously set an April-1 deadline for compliance in order to obtain the fitness certificate. However, following a state transport authority meeting held on January 24, an order was issued by the transport commissioner’s office on February 8 mandating the installation of five cameras -- a front-facing camera, rear-facing camera, interior camera, driver fatigue sensor camera and a camera facing the footsteps.
Opposing the decision, stage carriage operators argue that the driver fatigue sensor camera is unnecessary for private stage carriages. “The driver fatigue sensor camera is essential for buses and freight carriers operating at night.
However, private stage carriages operate only from 6am to 8pm, making the requirement not only unnecessary but also costly,” said Hamsa Erikunnan, general secretary of Kerala State Bus Operators Federation.