Times of India
Mangalore, Feb 21: Private buses are likely to go off roads in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, for a couple of days, protesting against the high court order on speed governors in all commercial vehicles. The date would be decided within a day or two by the Kanara Bus Operators’ Association here.
Confirming this, association president Rajavarma Ballal told The Times of India: “As speed governor issue is a high court order, it has to be tackled at the Supreme Court level for redressal. In the meantime, we will make our stand clear so that the state government will do the needful in this regard at the earliest.”
As of now, the association has been fitting speed governors costing Rs 16,000 to get fitness certificate from the Regional Transport Authority (RTO).
Regarding the Mangalore Goods Transport Association’s indefinite protest against speed governors by withdrawing goods vehicles, Ballal said the bus operators will offer their moral support, but not withdraw services indefinitely as it will cause inconvenience to public, especially in the undivided Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, where private buses are the lifeline.
Ballal, who is also the president of Karnataka State Bus Owners’ Federation, said, Shimoga bus operators have decided to go off roads from Friday to support the goods transport association. “More support is coming from other districts also,” he added. Ballal said depending upon the decision of association members, notice would be issued to the regional transport authority in case they go ahead with the strike.
Ballal also regarded the high court order as reprehensible in view of the Centre’s direction to the transport department to increase the speed limit on the national highways and major district roads (MDRs) to 80 kmph from the present 60 kmph.
The Centre should amend the Motor Vehicle Act so that the vehicles come fitted with speed governors.
“However, I cannot still understand the logic behind speed governors when the government allows manufacturing 500 BHP vehicles which can go beyond 120 kmph,” he added.