‘Imagine how much money you’ll save’: Karnataka High Court tells KSRTC to view dashcams as investment
The KSRTC informs the court that 1,350 of its 8,500-odd buses already have dashcams and dashcam footage has helped it avoid paying compensation in accident cases.
The KSRTC informed the court that it would install dashcams on the rest of the buses in phases. (Representational AI image) The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday observed that the Karnataka State Transport Corporation (KSRTC) should view dashcams on its buses as an investment because they could help the corporation avoid paying compensation in accident cases.
Justice Suraj Govindaraj made the remark after the KSRTC informed the court that it had installed dash cameras in over 1,350 buses and would install them on the rest of the buses in phases.
The KSRTC’s counsel, H R Renuka, informed the court that dashcam footage had helped the corporation avoid paying compensation in cases where its drivers were accused of causing accidents. Such cases even concluded in over a year, she added.
Justice Govindaraj then asked how much money the KSRTC had saved. Renuka replied that the high court had reversed a compensation award of Rs 9 lakh.
The judge then said, “Imagine how much money you will save. These are all investments. Don’t look at them as expenses. If you look at these as expenses, then it will become a problem.”
The KSRTC informed the court that it has around 8,500 buses, out of which 2,550 buses are to be scrapped in the near future. Tenders for procuring new buses will have a condition that the vehicles should have pre-installed dashcams, it added.
The information regarding the dashcams was provided in connection with a dismissed petition, where the corporation had challenged a labour court order to reinstate a driver accused of causing two deaths by driving a bus in a rash and negligent manner.
In an order dated September 13, 2022, the high court said the KSRTC had taken divergent views in the matter. In disciplinary proceedings, it held the driver responsible for the accident but categorically exonerated him from any wrongdoing before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal.
The court then directed the KSRCT managing director to institute a proper standard operating procedure to deal with similar matters and kept the matter pending for considering compliance.
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