KOCHI: There was widespread outrage among Kochiites as another life was lost on city roads due to the rash and negligent driving by the driver of a private bus on Tuesday.
Despite stringent actions initiated by enforcement authorities, reckless and negligent driving involving private buses continues to endanger the lives of commuters in the city.
The latest victim is 62-year-old Jacob George of Edachira, Kakkanad. He died after his motorcycle was knocked down by a private bus near High Court junction. Even the High Court’s order to rein in private buses has not yielded the desired result. The court had earlier directed to initiate stringent action against speeding buses that create accidents.
Many have come out with the allegation that enforcement agencies spring into action only after casualties occur or people raise a protest.
“Kochi city police are absolutely useless in preventing reckless driving by the buses of Kochi. Apart from some knee-jerk reactions after a mishap and some WhatsApp number promo. This begs the question, why are we even funding them? Are those connected to IC4 (Integrated Command and Control Centre) even working?” Appu, a Kochi resident posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Kacherippadi Junction, Kaloor Junction, private bus stand, Kaloor, Town Hall bus stop, Hospital Road, KPCC junction and High Court Junction are the busy areas in the city that often witness accidents due to rash driving by private buses. Apart from these, Volga Junction near Palarivattom, Vyttila Hub area, and Rajendra Maidan-Jose Junction stretch also witness speeding and rash driving, commuters said.
Ahmed Siddique, another Kochi youth, said, “The authorities are not taking action against bus drivers who engage in rash and negligent driving,” he alleged.
Of the 1,387 cases registered for rash driving under Section 279 of IPC till July this year within the city police limits, the majority are drivers of private buses. Last year there were 1,145 cases, according to sources.
The bus owners shared a different view citing that there is a concerted effort from various corners to destroy the industry by portraying that they are ‘killers’.
“The private bus industry is facing a severe crisis. Bus owners are facing huge financial burdens due to high road taxes and other expenses. As a result, they are forced to overload their buses and surpass speed limits to increase earnings. It’s difficult to check the background of each employee as there is a decline in the number of people coming to the sector,” said a private bus employees association functionary, who did not want to be named.
Meanwhile, DCP, Kochi City Police, dismissed the allegations citing that they are frequently carrying out drives against errant private buses. “We are carrying out regular checks to crack down on rash operations by private buses in the city. Special checks are being conducted every Saturday,” he said.
62-YEAR-OLD MAN DIES IN MISHAP
Kochi: A 62-year-old man died after a private bus hit the two-wheeler he was riding near High Court Junction on Monday. Police said that a speeding private bus, ‘MMS,’ mowed down Jacob George, a resident of Edachira, Kakkanad, in front of the Traffic Aid Post near High Court Junction around 8.30 am on Monday. Jacob who sustained injuries in the mishap was rushed to Ernakulam General Hospital and then shifted to a private hospital in the city.