Chennai: Madras high court has dismissed a petition seeking direction to Tamil Nadu transport department to ensure safety measures incorporated as per statutory rules and regulations in all government public transport buses operated in the State and also to direct the authorities concerned to provide adequate infrastructure at the bus terminus and shelters.
The division bench comprising Justice S. Manikumar and Justice Subromonium Prasad, before which the PIL came up for hearing on Monday, has dismissed the petition with a cost of Rs 10, 000 to be paid to Juvenile Justice Fund.
The petitioner Jawahar Shanmugam, who had already filed several PIL’s including the requirement of ramps in the hospitals and fire safety measures, in the present petition highlighted details about the poor condition of the buses run by the state transport corporations.
He alleged that Tamil Nadu government is on keen to encouraging big private bus operators to ply luxurious buses and they have captured a very good market share and profit. He submitted that non-maintenance of the public transport buses had led to several accidents. The corporation ends up paying hefty compensation to family members of the accident victims.
The petitioner said “despite having some sound rules on bus body design, these buses are poorly maintained, making it unsafe for the driver to drive the vehicle and also pose dangers to the commuters. Traveling in these buses becomes nightmarish experience”.
He sent a representation to the authorities on November 27, 2017 highlighting these issues. As there was no reply from the authorities he has filed the present PIL.
