Passengers demand fitness check on KSRTC buses used for rural services in Kozhikode

Passengers from rural Kozhikode have demanded a thorough check of the mechanical fitness of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses being operated on rural routes.

Local administrators and political party leaders, in response to (October 8) Tuesday’s bus accident near Thiruvambady that claimed two lives, urged the Motor Vehicles department (MVD) and police to take the lead in conducting inspections with immediate priority.

Passengers have called for the inspection of the fitness of all buses from the Thiruvambady depot given the recurring accidents on rural routes.

Representatives of various passenger forums alleged that old vehicles found unfit for urban services were being rerouted through rural areas. It was owing to the skills of experienced drivers that major accidents were averted on risky routes, they claimed.

Congress activists, who took out a march to the KSRTC depot at Thiruvambady on October 9 (Wednesday), alleged that the bus involved in the recent accident was nearly 14 years old. They also claimed that the use of old buses was the prime reason for around 10 accidents on the Kakkadampoyil-Thiruvambady route in the last one-and-a half years. They argued that the KSRTC was neglecting its responsibilities citing unfavourable road conditions.

The protesters condemned the agency’s claim that new buses were not available for conducting rural services. If shortage of buses was a reason for offering low-quality service, it would be better to end such trips in view of passengers’ safety, they said.

Meanwhile, sources in the KSRTC said the Thiruvambady depot had 35 buses of which a majority were more than 10 years old. They also claimed that the dangerous nature of roads to hilly areas like Kakkadampoyil, Poovaranthodu, Anakkampoyil, Marippuzha, and Muthappanpuzha affected the mechanical fitness of the buses.

“The Thiruvambady grama panchayat and several other organisations had submitted memorandums to the KSRTC authorities multiple times seeking the replacement of old buses. In our finding, there are still many 15-year-old vehicles that are being used for rural services,” said panchayat president Bindu Johnson. She alleged that not even a single new bus was sanctioned for rural routes in Thiruvambady as the KSRTC was found to have cold-shouldered the rural areas’ safety concerns.

Meanwhile, MVD and police sources said a comprehensive fitness check would be launched soon on the basis of the joint inspection carried out at the accident spot near Thiruvambady. They also said that concerns raised on the dangerous condition of roads would be examined for possible action by the Public Works department.