MSRTC lists steps taken to ensure passenger safety

MSRTC,which runs 18,000 buses daily across Maharashtra,said it has worked hard to improve its over all system that had come under a cloud after Mane hijacked a bus and went berserk,killing nine people.

“We have taken three major medical steps and three technical measures to improve our functioning,” MSRTC managing director Deepak Kapoor told Newsline on Monday.

The most significant step,MSRTC said,is the installation of ‘emergency stop buttons’ that would bring a bus to a grinding halt. “If a driver is driving rashly,the conductor can press the emergency button installed near his seat. The bus will not come to a halt immediately,but will stop in its tracks after 25 seconds,” said Kapoor.

He said a pilot project for installing emergency buttons is already in place. “These buttons have been installed in 10-15 buses. At present,we are undertaking a trial run. Once we are convinced about its efficiency,the buttons will be installed in all the buses,” he said.

Another important step,Kapoor said,is the introduction of alcometer which will ensure that no driver who has consumed alcohol is at the steering wheel of an ST bus. “The alcometers have been introduced in around 50 depots. They would soon be introduced in all the 248 depots located across the state.”

MSRTC also said that drivers are being thoroughly verified before they take the bus out of the depots. At 12 bus depots where there is high density traffic,iron gates have been fixed. “Drivers will have to carry logsheets with them. Before he exits the gate of the bus depot,his name,route and other details are examined and the logsheet will be stamped. This procedure takes 20-25 seconds before the driver is allowed to leave the depot. This system has been introduced in a few depots and would be replicated in all the depots in the course of time,” he said.

Kapoor said immediately after the Mane incident,he had ordered medical examination of all 38,000 drivers. “The medical reports of the drivers are ready. At least 20 drivers were found to be suffering either from heart ailment,hypertension or severe blood pressure. They have been placed in other departments,” he said.

Pointing out that MSRTC has appointed at least 25 professional counsellors,Kapoor said,“MSRTC is the first state undertaking to have appointed professional counsellors. The counsellors are also visiting the families of the drivers to understand the kind of problems they face which will come handy during counselling sessions.”

In the first phase,25 counsellors have been appointed and in the second phase 25 more will be appointed. Each counsellors is in charge of 4 to 5 depots,he said.

Senior MSRTC officials said the Mane incident jolted the management into action to introduce what are being described as strong steps to ensure complete safety of the passengers.

‘Bus depots in bad shape’

After the Santosh Mane incident,a committee was appointed under the chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner Prabhakar Deshmukh. The committee was mandated to assess the working conditions of bus drivers and look into the problems they face on duty. The committee was also supposed to probe the way MSRTC dealt with the employees and also asses police response to situations.

Speaking to Newsline,Deshmukh said,“I had submitted my report to the Transport Secretary and to the police department. I do not know to what extent the recommendations were followed.” Civic activist Prashant Inamdar said,“The Mane incident had stressed the need for reforms. But if we see,the condition of the bus depots and the working conditions more or less remain the same. The steps taken by the MSRTC are inadequate.”