KOTTAYAM: Only tourist buses with air horns, attractive laser lights and smoke have demand for trips. The owners spent lakhs to set this up in buses and such promotional videos have a lot of fans in Instagram and Facebook. The bus involved in Vadakkanchery accident was fined thrice for unnecessary lights, but it continued running service without paying it. Bus is equipped with multi-lasers and neon lights. Acoustic panels called punch boxes are also installed in the outer body of vehicles. Such vehicles do not get a mic permit or comply with regulations to prevent noise pollution. Excessive noise will disturb the environment. Even heart attacks can happen.
Aims at new generation
All tourist buses have Instagram and Facebook pages. These pages will attract students by uploading short videos of adventure stunts and laser lights on the bus. Students will only call vehicles with extra fittings. Bus owners are doing maximum violations to cope up with competition. If they have to pay fine on the journey, the students will do that.
The extra fittings in such buses cost up to Rs 25 lakh.
‘The government should issue a standard guideline on the issue. Moderate permissible noise and light are required,’ said Manoj Kaimal, State Vice President, Contract Carriage Operators Association.