Bus Owners & Police Interact with Bus Drivers and conductors to Ensure Safety of Passengers
Mangaluru: The safety of those commuting in city buses is paramount and the city police are working with city bus owners to ensure not just the safety of passengers but also enforcement. Police and city bus owners work together to enforce traffic rules and ensure the safety of passengers. Speaking to the media, police commissioner Kuldeep Kumar R. Jain said, “With the death of a 23-year-old city bus conductor recently and injury to a 17-year-old second-year pre-university student after they fell out of city buses on August 29 and 30 respectively, the city police have stepped up action to ensure the safety of commuters. City bus owners were now standing along with policemen near important traffic junctions to ensure bus drivers operate in an orderly manner”.
“Bus owners are also allowed at the Traffic Control Room where they see footage of surveillance cameras related to buses. A dedicated effort is being made by police, along with bus owners, for safety, enforcement and traffic awareness. City buses that have provision for doors have been told to install doors at the earliest. With regard to buses brought before 2018, the drivers have been asked not to allow anybody to travel on the footboard” added the police commissioner.
Meanwhile, the Dakshina Kannada Bus Operators’ Association led by its president Azeez Parthipady raised awareness among bus drivers and conductors on the safety of passengers here at Nanthoor on Saturday 2 September. The bus owners warned the conductors for not using the ticket machines while issuing tickets and urged them to respect the passengers, and not be rude to them for silly reasons. They warned the conductors not to allow passengers to travel on footboard, including them (Conductors) They also checked on shrill horns, loud music system, use of Chalo cards, and uniform. They also advised not to halt the buses in places other than bus stands.
Earlier in the week, the police commissioner took strict action against buses and booked 163 cases against footboard travel and 24 cases based on public complaints.
A total of over 200 cases of footboard travel were booked on 31 August and 1 September, and the drive will continue further.
