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A perilous ride, in pvt buses
Over-speeding under influence of alcohol, rash and careless driving and unscientific overtaking by private buses had been killing innocent people in the State. The Tuesday’s accident in which 11 persons were killed and 31 injured; exposes the lack of monitoring the private bus operations and the dangerous link between the political leaders and the private bus operators.
Visakhapatnam: Over-speeding under influence of alcohol, rash and careless driving and unscientific overtaking by private buses had been killing innocent people in the State. The Tuesday’s accident in which 11 persons were killed and 31 injured; exposes the lack of monitoring the private bus operations and the dangerous link between the political leaders and the private bus operators.
According to recent findings of RTA, private buses plying on NH-16, NH-9 and other highways are notorious for rash driving. Moreover, the road transport authority officials at the lower level and traffic police remained mute spectators.
Though police have set speed limits on highways in the State, the private buses continue to ignore them and make a mockery of such directives.
“Most of the private buses belong to the politicians and their henchmen, hence the police drag their feet to take action against them,” commented a former RTA official. Over 300 private buses ply between Vijayawada and other destinations, everyday and the number increases during Sankranti and Dasara holidays.
The maximum speed limit on the highway is 80 kmph and the cause of 60 per cent of fatal accidents is due to crossing the speed limit. “Not a single private bus owner was booked for over speeding in Vizag region to my knowledge,” said the retired official.
In March 2016 four medical students were killed and 31 injured when a speeding bus knocked a tree and overturned. The students in this case pleaded with the driver to stop the bus, as he was drunk but fearing an arrest, the driver crossed the speed limit, failed to control the bus and died in the process at Gollapudi near Vijayawada.
“Automation is the only answer to break the nexus between the bus operators and the political leaders. Every check point should have a scanner to identify drivers, vehicle fitness it should also have equipment to administer breathalyser test to prevent violation of rules.
Even first violation of speed must be noticed immediately and officials should stop the bus and make the owners transfer the passengers in another bus for safety,” a senior police officer in Traffic department opined.
The officer said in no uncertain terms that unless these check points established at every 200 km, accidents would continue.
