61,250 traffic violation cases booked on RTC bus drivers

Drivers were challaned for drunken driving, speaking on the cell phone while driving, jumping signals, dangerous driving and stopping the bus in the middle of the road which are among the 43 categories of traffic rule violations.

The RTC just asks the drivers to pay the penalty from their pockets. RTC drivers do not take the challans seriously. Only 10 per cent have paid up, sources said. A few drivers asked the management to pay the challan and deduct the amount from their salary.

Hyderabad Traffic DCP A.V. Ranganath told this correspondent that Rs 2.87 crore in penalties was pending from RTC drivers. At a meeting of senior traffic officers and the Telangana RTC joint managing director and other top officers it was decided that the corporation should not be held responsible for the violations committed by drivers.

It was decided that the traffic police would send the challans to drivers. RTC Greater Hyderabad Zone executive director A. Purushotham confirmed that a large number of drivers had been booked for violation of traffic rules. “We are considering taking action by identifying repeat offenders and sending them back to driving training schools. There are other internal measures being proposed as deterrents,” he said.