Chennai: In a major blow to passenger safety, more than 25 bus passengers who had travelled in state operated bus services have died in 15 different accidents within a period of 15 days.
This, according to state transport department insiders, is due to the strenuous working conditions of bus drivers. Sources further said that the majority of the accidents occurred during weekends and late night hours. Factors like lack of sleep, bus maintenance, faulty brakes are still the major reasons attributing to the fatal accidents.
According to the state transport department sources, 1,209 fatal accidents occurred in 2016-17 killing 1,373 people and this year, the number could surge, they warned.
On Saturday, at around 5.45 am in Avatti village in Cuddalore, a state run bus carrying more than 40 passengers en route Tiruchy from Tambaram, rammed into a sand lorry. While four people, including the conductor, died on the spot, more than 15 people were injured out of which 6 patients with serious injuries were rushed to Perambulur government hospital.
“The cause of the accident is the lack of rest to the driver. The officials forced him to work for several weekends (Friday to Sunday) without a break and he was also scheduled to operate a special bus on this Sunday,” alleged a driver seeking anonymity.
Officials from the RTO suspend the license for six months for the drivers involved in fatal accidents. They rue that it is the mistake of the department who do not maintain the buses and that there are no facilities at bus depots.
“The reason for fire accidents is oil leakage which one can witness at the side of the tyres. The department does not have spare parts, they have been repairing the same parts for many years,” said K. Anbazhagan, joint secretary, Nethaji Transport Union adding that the drivers do not have the proper facilities to rest anywhere, except for the Koyambedu bus depot. With mosquito menace and stinking rooms, the drivers can neither take rest nor take up duty.
CITU union members added the buses are in a pathetic condition as they have been operating for more than 15 years. Some drivers also said the time chart has not been changed in many places since 1972. With modified roads and increasing traffic, the drivers are still expected to reach at the same time.
