Sanrita Jasmine Madtha
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Aug 31: Citizens of the city rely more on private buses for their commuting needs. But, the number of fatal accidents involving private buses and the recurring incidents of reckless driving is rising by the day. Negligent driving by private buses continues to endanger lives of commuters in the city.
The death of bus conductor at Nanthoor Circle on Wednesday is heartrending. After clearing the traffic at Nanthoor Circle, the bus conductor had jumped onto the bus. As the driver steered the bus in full speed at the junction, the bus conductor lost his footing and had a fatal tumble on the road. The negligent and rash driving of private buses whose only concern is to make up for lost time has thrown the safety of its commuters to the wind.
One can see bus conductors in private buses always standing on the footboards or hanging outside the bus even if the bus is not crowded. They also try to jump into the speeding bus after clearing the traffic which is considered to be quite risky. There are several such instances when the drivers are seen using their mobile phones while driving or competing with other buses on the same route to reach their destination faster.
The negligence of conductor and the driver proved fatal for the former. The police commissioner of Mangaluru had issued guidelines to private bus owners to ensure safety of the passengers and other motorists. But bus drivers have continued to drive rashly causing danger to many.
“The entire private bus operating system in Mangaluru seems to be wrong as they are breaking all rules. It is seen that a bus operator must be an owner of a fleet of buses to run city or mofussil bus services. Owner of a single bus cannot be given permits. Secondly, they should not convert the roads into race tracks while stopping buses at the designated bus stops to pick up passengers or try to get ahead of the others who are operating on the same route. Thirdly, the horns used by the drivers seem noisy at 100 decibels, causing noise pollution. They use shrill horns and they are seen blowing it and as a weapon to make way for themselves,” a commuter felt.
“Most of the private buses have drivers who drive rashly and recklessly. The cops should put a break to their careless attitude and help the commuters to travel safely and in reaching their destination,” another commuter felt.
Commuters have called for revamping the private bus operations along Mangaluru city and the express services running between Udupi and Mangaluru. "RTO authorities and the police must assert their authority and take action against bus owners who risk the lives of motorists in the city. The breakneck speed and shrill horns of the buses must be done away with," commuters say.
Bus commuters also have a word of praise for route number 27 as they it is the most disciplined service available in the city. The services are upgraded with several safety measures. The buses have hydraulic doors and proper window shutters, they say.
Police Commissioner Kuldeep Jain said, “The private buses owners are strictly advised to undertake certain measures to enhance passenger safety. Firstly, all the buses are instructed to have entry and exit doors to avoid the risk of passengers falling off moving buses. Secondly, under any circumstances, no one is allowed to stand on the footboards including conductors. Thirdly, the bus owners are informed to shift their focus towards ensuring the safety of the passengers. Drivers must not neglect the safety of the passengers while adhering to the time schedules.”