Transport Minister B. Sriramulu on Monday told the Legislative Assembly that the Transport Department officials would be suspended from services for dereliction of duty for their failure to check overcrowding of the private bus involved in an accident that claimed the lives of six persons in Pavagada.
Responding to the issue raised by Deputy leader of the Opposition U. T. Khader in the Assembly during Zero Hour, the Minister said initial investigation indicated that overspeeding was the cause of the accident, where the bus overturned while negotiating a curve.
Admitting that lack of availability of buses was the main reason for overcrowding in Pavagada route, he said he had directed officials concerned to deploy additional buses as well as manpower.
Earlier, Mr. Khader demanded a high-level probe into the accident to know why people travel on bus tops. Congress member K.R. Ramesh Kumar blamed the overcrowding of buses on lobbying by vested interests to prevent entry of new private operators and also flawed policy of the Transport Department related to allowing private operators.
More KSRTC buses
Mr. Sriramulu said KSRTC had increased frequency of buses and had connected villages that were not covered before after the incident.
“I have ordered cancellation of permits for private transporters and KSRTC buses are connecting those villages that were earlier served by private transporters,” he said after the issue was raised by Congress member Rajendra Rajanna. He said that private buses were not going to several villages, and that following the accident, KSRTC covered 40 villages through 14 buses deployed that are making 40 to 50 trips daily.
CM criticised for attending a film event instead of visiting bus accident spot
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai came under attack by Deputy Leader of the Opposition U. T. Khader in the Assembly on Monday for attending a pre-launch event of a big banner film instead of visiting the spot of bus accident in Pavagada that claimed six lives.
“Chief Minister chose to attend the programme related to launching of RRR movie instead of visiting the accident spot and consoling the family members of victims,” Mr. Khader said.
However, Transport Minister B. Sriramulu said he had been deputed by the chief minister to visit the spot.
