KOCHI: Kochi roads have once again started witnessing traffic congestion, rash driving, speeding and accidents after the Covid-restrictions were lifted. With this, come accidents and deaths on roads.
On Monday night, Rajendran Pillai, 57, died at Vytilla hub after a private bus hit him. Rajendran was alighting from a bus when he was run over by another one plying on the Puthotta-Cherthala route.
The next day, two youths were killed after a private bus rammed the two-wheeler on which they were riding near Vypeen.
The private bus was overtaking another vehicle when it hit the two-wheeler, killing K J Freddy and Alana.
Rash driving by private bus drivers has been a serious issue, yet no strict action has been taken by authorities, causing concern among commuters.
“Most of the drivers are careless. They overtake from the wrong side and continue to honk for no reason. Their attitude is also intolerable,” said Sanjana Mohan, an employee at Infopark, who commutes on her two-wheeler to work.
Pedestrians and motorists are the most affected. Crossing the roads has become a herculean task. “Passing in front of the Kaloor bus stand is so difficult as bus drivers come at a very high speed and halt near the exit of the stand often,” said a lottery seller at Kaloor.
“Another dangerous spot is Thevara junction,” said Shabareesh Menon, an executive at Harrisons Malayalam Ltd. “The bus drivers maintain no discipline on the roads. They overtake from any side they want, ignoring the pedestrians and others on the road. Taking sharp turns at curves is also a major cause of accidents,” he added.
Post-lockdown nightmare
“With the traffic in the city returning to normal, there has been a rise in the number of rash driving and speeding cases by private buses. Most accidents involve them too,” said a traffic police official. “Many permanent drivers of private buses were forced to take up other jobs during the lockdown, creating an internal crisis. Most of the current crop of bus drivers are daily wagers and it’s difficult to take action against them as they keep switching to buses on other routes,” he added. Last week, the city police booked 281 petty cases against private bus drivers in the city. “We are planning to hold an intensive surveillance campaign in association with the city police against the bus drivers by next week,” said Ernakulam RTO Shabeer P M. “We are also working towards addressing the lack of qualified staff in the sector,” he added.