KOZHIKODE: It appears the Transport Department directive to the employees of state-run and private buses to ensure hurdle-free travel to women passengers at night has gone with the wind.
The recent incident, in which an 18-year-old girl student underwent mental agony after the crew of a KSRTC bus denied her stop at Payyoli, brings the seriousness of the issue to the fore. Though the police signalled to stop the vehicle at Payyoli and Moorad, the driver failed to do so. Finally, the bus was stopped after the Chombala police blocked the road at Kunjipally.
According to the girl’s father K C Abdul Azeez, the girl - who is currently attending entrance coaching at Pala in Kottayam - boarded KSRTC’s ‘Minnal’ bus from Pala at 8 pm on Friday. The girl had booked an online ticket to Kozhikode. “Only on reaching Kozhikode bus stand did she know the bus was heading to Kasargod. So she thought of extending her ticket to Payyoli,” he said. “The bus restarted its journey and when the conductor reached her, she asked for a ticket to Payyoli. By the time, the bus had reached Pavangad. The conductor told her the bus won’t stop at Payyoli. He told her she can either get off the bus then and there or at the next stop Kannur.”
“What will she do after getting down at Pavangad at that time? It was past 2 am and I told her to request the driver to stop the bus for her at Payyoli. The driver denied her request. The conductor insisted her to take the ticket to Kannur if she wanted to continue the journey and she did.”
It was then Azeez sought police help. “Though the police signalled to stop the vehicle in front of Payyoli police station, the driver did not stop,” he said. “Again, when the policemen on duty at Moorad tried to stop the vehicle, the same thing repeated.”
Chombala Sub Inspector Naseer Iringal said they stopped the vehicle at Kunjipally following the wireless message. “I asked the bus crew if they were not bothered about the safety of the girl?” he said. “They said if they stopped for the girl at Payyoli, it will affect the running time and other passengers will make it an issue.”
“And that made no sense. They were bound to stop the bus at Payyoli when she requested. It would have taken only seconds to drop her off, “ the officer said. “Also, what if the police were signalling the vehicle to stop for some other reason, probably an emergency. The attitude of the crew members was unacceptable.” The girl’s father has filed a complaint with the police.
As per the 2015 order, buses should pick up and drop off women at any point they demand between 8 pm and 6 am. An earlier directive had insisted buses should pick up and drop off women from any point between 10 pm and 6 am. However, the timing was revised following a spurt in the number of women travelling alone at night.