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MSRTC yet to learn lessons from Santosh Mane’s deadly joyride

There is one security guard at the depot and buses are left unattended.

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The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation’s (MSRTC) bus driver Santosh Mane’s reckless death joyride which claimed eight innocent lives will complete one month on February 25 but the incident is still fresh in the minds of Puneites. However, MSRTC officials seem to have forgotten the incident within one month. DNA team did a reality check of the Swargate ST depot on Tuesday, only to find  that the buses were once again left unattended and only one security guard could be seen on duty which raises the question, is MSRTC waiting for a similar incident to happen?

Mane was attached to the same Swargate depot when on January 25, he got hold of the unattended bus parked in the depot and drove it recklessly on streets of the city killing eight people, injuring several and damaging over 40 vehicles. DNA had reported about the poor security arrangements which helped Mane to take out the ST bus from the depot without much obstruction. After the report, MSRTC officials swung into action and they appointed additional security guards to keep a watch on the parked buses and prohibit entry of outside vehicles to the depot. The authorities also issued instructions to its drivers not to leave buses unattended when they are parked in the depot.

However, when a DNA team visited Swargate depot on Tuesday, it found that the security arrangements at the depot were lax. The depot is supposed to have seven security guards. However, on Tuesday, only one security guard could be seen at the exit gate. The entry gate was unmanned and private vehicles including autorickshaw, two-wheelers and four-wheelers could be seen entering and leaving the depot without any hindrance.

Even ST bus drivers could be seen ignoring the instructions of MSRTC officials of not leaving buses unattended. When Vijay Divate, senior depot manager of Swargate ST Depot, was asked about the issue, he said, “We had recruited new security guards but some of them have left the job and we are now looking for new guards. I will personally look into the mater.’’

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