Overpacked buses a cause for worry

SHILLONG: The North Eastern state of Meghalaya has in recent years, implemented the Shillong Puplic Transport Service Buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) to make travelling and transportation more convenient to the public.
However, the buses are often overcrowded and overloaded to the point that passengers would stand on the footboard or cling on to the door. This not only causes uneasiness and discomfort amongst the passengers, but also poses a threat to their safety.
One passenger, who boarded a bus on a very hot sunny afternoon, was asked by the conductor to make space for others even though the bus had reached its maximum capacity.
The above circumstance, which is a common occurrence, highlights the fact that passengers are usually stuffed into the vehicle and at the same time are expected to accommodate the person next to them.
Passengers exceeding the permitted capacity, is a dangerous and recurring incident in the city and in many cases, some would complain about the overcrowding in the bus but are often not heeded to by the conductors.
These buses have catered a lot to the public in terms of transportation.
However, this is not a new found issue but is rather something which has been ignored.
Safety rules and regulations should be followed strictly in order to prevent any unwanted happenings and to ensure the overall safety of everyone.
(Contributed by Samdor VS Kharnaior, St. Anthony’s College, Mass Media Department)