Action of suspending KSRTC conductor for misconduct, transport department retracts decision

KOLLAM: The transport department has withdrawn the decision to suspend a female conductor on charges of illegal relationship. The transport department informed that it has withdrawn the directive to suspend the female conductor. This comes after the moral action of the KSRTC vigilance department sparked a major controversy. It was alleged that this action insulted the conductor and the female employees of KSRTC.

The KSRTC took action after taking evidence, including footage of the conversation between the driver and the conductor while driving the bus. The suspension was based on the fact that the conductor behaved in a way that distracted the driver. However, the order of the executive director of the KSRTC vigilance department, which described the misconduct, stoked a controversy.

The driver's wife had filed a complaint with Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar, alleging the relationship between the two. She had provided her husband's WhatsApp chats and some visuals as evidence. She had also provided visuals captured by passengers on the service when the two were on duty last January as evidence. The KSRTC Vigilance Department issued the order after finding that there was truth in her complaint.

The investigation report said the conductor spoke in a way that distracted the driver while driving the bus, took the driver's mobile phone, did not stop the bus for the passengers to get off, passengers themselves had to ring the bell to get off the bus.