Police crack the whip on erring bus drivers
Published: 22nd December 2012 08:32 AM | Last Updated: 22nd December 2012 08:32 AM | A+A A-
Accidents involving Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses have become a serious concern for the top officials of the corporation and the police department.
Till November, 81 people were killed and 204 were injured in accidents involving BMTC buses, according to police records.
While the BMTC has been making efforts to inculcate a sense of discipline among its drivers, the traffic police are coming down heavily on erring drivers.
The police booked over 20,000 cases against BMTC drivers till December 1. “We are working with the BMTC to bring in discipline among the drivers,” Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M A Saleem told Express.
During a drive conducted in association with the BMTC in the last week of November, the police booked cases against 550 drivers, mostly for rash driving and stopping at undesignated places.
On its part, the BMTC is taking several steps, including reintroduction of its earlier programme of taking drivers to accident victims’ houses to make them see the plight of accident victims or their families.
“We can understand that drivers work under stress and there is also pressure on them. But that does not mean that they can drive rashly. Drivers are at liberty to cut short the trips in consultation with the depot manager,” a BMTC officer said.
The BMTC, which plans to replace 700 buses in its fleet with hi-tech ones next year, is trying to prevent accidents due to mechanical failures.