KOCHI: Almost three months have passed since the Kerala High Court issued an order directing the regional transport authority to keep buses and autorickshaws on the extreme left of the roads to ensure the safety of other commuters. Though drivers of private buses and autorickshaws continue to outmanoeuvre other vehicles and run zigzag, neither the motor vehicles department nor the police have taken action against their dangerous driving through the congested city roads.
Practical difficulty is claimed to be the reason for not enforcing the HC order strictly. “It is really due to luck that we are all still alive. Private buses are still plying in a zigzag manner through the roads. How can we walk or drive through the roads? The only option we have now is to bet our lives and use the road. Though we thought that the HC’s order would help put an end to the reckless driving by private bus drivers, no change has been noticed even after three months. The enforcement agencies are only interested in looting the public’s money and they are not at all worried about our safety, “said N Prathapan, an activist.
Justice Amit Rawal issued a directive to the city police commissioner and the regional transport officer to “immediately issue an order” prohibiting honking and overtaking by private buses within the city limits.
“The private buses are plying in a zigzag manner through the city roads. I am surprised to note that the police and MVD officials are not taking any action against them,” said Sindhu Mohan, a Kochi resident.
Law enforcement agencies have passed the buck to the infrastructure facilities available in the city.
“We too are trying to protect the public, but we have limitations to initiating action against private buses. We don’t have an adequate number of bus bays. There are practical difficulties in imposing a lane-traffic system here as the roads are narrow. Since the government can’t offer such facilities, it will be difficult for law enforcement agencies to initiate action. We can only spread awareness among the bus drivers,”said a road safety expert requesting anonymity.