The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the Transport Commissioner to file a statement explaining the circumstances in which buses with open-door shutters and contract vehicles with high-power audio systems are allowed to operate, endangering the safety of passengers and road users.
Justice Anil K. Narendran observed that stage carriages were being operated with open-door shutters in violation of statutory requirements and High Court directives.
Besides, contract carriages and buses fitted with high-power audio systems were also permitted on the road.
The court noted that Rule 289 of the Kerala Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 deals with prohibition of installation of audio-visual or radio or tape recorder type devices inside stage carriages.
The court made the observations when a batch of writ petitions filed by private bus operators seeking to restrain authorities from taking coercive action against them for not fitting vehicle location tracking devices and panic buttons on their vehicles came up for hearing.
