Mangaluru: Close on the heels of a bus which fell into a canal in Mandya and claimed 30 lives, social activists suspects the fitness of buses which ply in Mangaluru. They have urged the district administration to conduct a thorough inspection of buses to prevent such incidents in Dakshina Kannada district.
According to the sources, around 350 city buses and 420 service buses are registered under Mangaluru RTO. Though these buses have been operating in and around the city by obtaining fitness certificates, people suspect the fitness of some buses, which look quite old. According to the guidelines, those buses which complete 15 years are not fit to operate. After 15 years, the old bus should be replaced with the new one, but the route permit can be continued. However, social activists say that if the officials of the transport department would check the permit and fitness certificates of the buses, there would be definitely some lapses.
Nagarika Hitharakshana Vedike president Hanumanth Kamath says that some buses obtain fitness certificate from RTO without appearing for the inspection. “Though once in a year every bus should renew its Fitness Certificate, the owner of the bus evades appearing to inspection as the bus needs to cut down at least two trips from its routine. Fitness certificate are issued after some understanding and ‘adjustment’ between officer and bus owner,” he alleges.
We are ready to cooperate: Bus Operators’ Association
However, Dakshina Kannada District Bus Operators’ Association president Dilraj Alva says that allegation of not appearing for the inspection and alleged adjustment between bus owners and officers are far from being true. “It is not possible to obtain a fitness certificate by not appearing for the inspection. Our Association members would cooperate with any type of `checking` operation by the transport department. We will prove our efficiency,” he says.
DC asks RTO to relook into procedures of issuing FC
Dakshina Kannada District Deputy Commissioner S Sasikanth Senthil told Newskarnataka that after the incident of Mandya, he has asked the RTO to relook into the procedures of issuing fitness certificate to the bus owners. “In order to prevent any untoward incidents in our district, I have already asked the transport department to pay utmost care with regard to the procedures of issuing fitness certificates to ensure that unfit buses are not issued a certificate,” he said.
What is surprising is the fact that the ill-fated bus that had the mishap in Mandya was certified unfit in Dakshina Kannada.
