R Ashoka’s warning fails to check rash driving in Bangalore

Transport minister R Ashoka’s statement that killer drivers would be fired seems to have had no effect on BMTC and KSRTC drivers. Honamma, 48, became the 53rd victim on Wednesday to be killed by BMTC buses this year.

A former employee of the Victoria Hospital, Honamma, was crossing the road near the Silk Board junction at Madivala when she was crushed under the BMTC wheels. She died instantly.

Statistics by the Bangalore traffic police states that, on an average, about 100 people are killed in road accidents involving the BMTC buses, every year.

The May 30 accident at Chelekere in Chitradurga district involving a KSRTC bus had made Ashoka announce that drivers would be dismissed from service, in case they cause fatal accidents.

However, his statement was yet to have any effect. It was learnt that ‘killer drivers’ were only booked for negligence, causing death.They were also suspended from service for six months, and asked to pay a fine slapped on them by the court.

Questions have been raised about the negligence and conduct of bus drivers on the roads.

The transport department officials, however, said that the action taken against the drivers were based on the investigations conducted. “It is not possible to dismiss a driver just because the bus met with an accident. Every accident is studied in detail. If the driver’s negligence appears to be grave or intentional, they are sacked,” said Arun Chakravarthy J, director (security and vigilance), BMTC.

“Following any accident, the driver will be prohibited from driving the bus till the investigations are over. Based on the probe report, action will be taken. The punishment could vary from a suspension of six months to dismissal,” he added.

Reckless bus drivers, apart from being a threat to the safety of other commuters and pedestrians, were posing a headache for the traffic police. Commenting on the issue, the additional commissioner of police (traffic), Praveen Sood, said the police department had collected fines amounting to over Rs30 lakh from the BMTC in 2009.

“We have come across many reckless bus drivers. There were incidents when drivers were caught for negligence, he and his fellow drivers would make a big fuss on the road, disrupting traffic,” he said.

“We cannot stop them, but we do not spare them either,” Sood said. The fine for offences by drivers was paid by the BMTC till 2008, resulting in the increased instances of violation by bus drivers, Sood added.

“We raised the issue with the BMTC, and they  changed the rule. The fine for each violation was deducted from the driver’s salary, as this would make him feel the pinch,” Sood said.