CUTTACK: Expressing serious concern over reckless driving of Mo Buses in Cuttack city, the Orissa High Court has directed strict implementation of breath analyser tests of drivers not only at starting points but also randomly on the way.
The bench of Justice SK Sahoo and Justice V Narasingh also instructed the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) agency to take immediate steps to run smaller buses inside the city and the bigger ones on the Ring Road.
The special bench constituted by the court to deal with suo motu PILs on civic problems in Cuttack had taken up the issue of reckless driving after a woman lost her life recently in an accident caused by a Mo Bus.
The bench said, the breath analyser tests should start from Saturday. “The records of such tests conducted shall be uploaded in the portal of CRUT and placed before this Court on the next date (December 5),” it ordered.
In Cuttack city, 94 Mo Buses are plying on 21 routes. As many as 200 minor and major accidents have been reported against Mo Bus so far in 2024.
The bench also directed CRUT to install cameras in the buses to see whether there is any reckless driving, use sensors to detect whether the drivers are drunk and if anything is noticed in the control room from the pupil movement of the drivers, necessary instructions are to be passed immediately.
“Since there are two types of ‘Mo Buses’ plying in Cuttack City, let the CRUT authorities take immediate steps to see that smaller buses run inside the town and bigger size buses on the ring road. The drivers should not be asked to work for more than 8 hours a day under any circumstances,” the bench further directed.
“Instructions shall be issued to the drivers and conductors to stop the buses only at designated places, as stopping the buses here and there on the way is creating traffic congestion and necessary instruction shall also be given to them to behave in a decent manner with all the passengers,” the bench added.
The directions were issued after perusal of action taken report submitted by CRUT managing director Dr N Thirumala Naik relating to the measures taken by the authority to sensitise the drivers of Mo Bus against reckless driving. The bench expressed dissatisfaction as Naik, who was present in court, failed to say whether the breath analyser test is being carried out or not.