Guwahati, July 22: The Assam transport department has, in the wake of complaints from commuters about offences by drivers and conductors, intensified its drive against city buses flouting road safety and other norms.
The drive was conducted by district transport officers and enforcement officials in the city buses on different routes in the past three days.
The primary objective was to ensure that motor vehicle rules, permit conditions and road safety norms were being followed and the drivers and conductors of the city buses behave politely with the commuters.
Officials disclosed that altogether 20 cases were registered against the city buses for various offences while 31 buses were seized in three days.
“Challans were issued to owners of 20 city buses during the three-day-long drive,” Rafiqul Islam, DTO cum secretary, Regional Transport Authority, informed.
DTOs and enforcement officials hopped from one city bus to another to book the offences committed with impunity by the bus drivers and conductors.
Some of the offences committed for which challans were issued to the bus owners include non issuance of tickets, boarding through front door, doors flung open while running, haphazard parking on stoppages, non display of route numbers, permit numbers, route diversion, waiting at a stoppage for more than a minute, rash overtaking, undue halt on non designated stoppages and misbehaving with passengers.
It may be noted that there are 22 sets of rules for the bus drivers and conductors to abide by.
Gauhati High Court has also issued directions in this regard.
“Violation of any rule will not only result in imposition of penalty but also suspension or cancellation of permits,” Himangshu Das, DTO (enforcement), said.
It is learnt that the transport department officials are planning to launch a drive against traffic violations including penalising commuters who do not wear helmets or seat-belts, over-speed, overload and indulge in rash driving.
Besides drivers plying vehicles without valid fitness certificates would be penalised as well.
