KSRTC not paying fines for violating laws

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While private tourist buses were blacklisted 290 times for violating the transport rules, the KSRTC buses were on the blacklist 545 times.

Most of the vehicles caught by the monitoring cameras for overspeeding were KSRTC buses. The Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) has sent 446 notices to the corporation. However, the drivers and the management are not ready to pay the fine.

The transport department issued an order for KSRTC. When the MVD demanded that the fines must be paid, the transport department issued an order that gives leniency to the KSRTC. As the head of KSRTC and the transport department is the same, things moved swiftly.

Earlier, fines were paid correctly by the KSRTC. This was compensated from the drivers’ salary. When the drivers’ union got a stay from the court against this practice, the management stopped paying the fines. Mismanaging the case has adversely affected the KSRTC.

Transport Commissioner, S Sreejith, is repeatedly saying that if violations continue, the registration of the vehicles will be canceled. However, the MVD is not ready to take action against KSRTC buses when they violate laws. The examination of speed governors is not done on KSRTC buses, while it is checked in other vehicles.

Most of the KSRTC buses have outdated mechanical speed governors. Most of these are not working. Many buses are plying on roads without fixing technical issues. Buses without signal lights are also running. Some model buses’ brakes are out of order frequently.