KOCHI: The Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) plans to seize the official team bus of Kerala Blasters FC if it continues to use the altered vehicle to transport players. The department had on Saturday issued a show cause notice to the owner of the bus, which is covered fully in yellow and has giant pictures of the players. The MVD had also asked the team official concerned to turn up before the RTO.
“We’ve already issued a show cause notice to the owner of the stage carriage at Panampilly Nagar on Saturday. We also asked the owner and the club official to appear before the RTO. However, they were not ready to turn up. They even used the same vehicle to transport the players on Sunday,” said an MVD official.
The department decided to crack down on the Blasters after the Kerala High Court ordered to take stringent action against modified buses in the wake of the recent accident at Vadakkanchery in Palakkad.
“They covered the body and even the glasses using lamination. It can’t be allowed. If we find the vehicle on the road, we will take steps to take it into custody,” said a motor vehicle inspector.
Meanwhile, sources in the department said Blasters has already filed an application at the Tripunithura RTO office seeking permission to alter the vehicle. “Based on that, we decided not to slap a fine for alteration. The application is pending before the higher officials. Since the High Court has issued a direction, the department has no other option, but to initiate action against the vehicle,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, a road safety expert opined that action against a bus for changing the colour is not logical.
“There is no scientific study to prove that colour of any bus has caused accident. If there are additional electrical fittings in the vehicle, they should be removed. But in the case of the Blasters’ bus, it is the colour that has created the issue. More accidents in the state are happening due to the unscientific construction and maintenance of the roads, “an expert said, requesting anonymity. Meanwhile, the Kerala Blasters’ officials were not available for comment.