TEAM HERALD

teamherald@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: In a major crackdown on ill-equipped buses in the wake of Aldona bus mishap, the Transport department Tuesday cancelled fitness certificate of a private bus and challaned 43 buses on their first day of surprise inspections.

Director Arun Desai informed that notices to 43 private bus owners have been issued as their hand brakes and steering wheels were malfunctioning, while other buses did not have proper emergency doors. Other minor faults were also noticed during inspections.

The department has categorically instructed all passenger buses to undergo inspection irrespective of fitness certificates they possess and Tuesday launched checks of all buses including the state-run KTCL and privately-owned buses.

“Fitness certificate of a private bus has been suspended because its hand brake and steering wheel was not in good working order. It did not have proper emergency door nor were the seats properly secured,” Desai said.

“We have directed the bus owner to repair the bus and reapply for fitness test again.”

Interestingly, none of the KTCL buses had any faults at least on the first day of the inspection. The exercise is being carried out at all seven RTOs in the State.

The fresh order comes after a report by the Mapusa transport officials revealed that the ill-fated ‘Shree Ganesh’ mini bus had an ‘inoperative’ hand brake.

“The department has taken a serious note of the fatal mishap. Taking into account road safety and passengers traveling in it, we have ordered that all buses are to be checked regardless of fitness certificates they posses,” Desai told Herald.

The checks include functioning of hand brakes, condition of parts of the steering including steering arm and state of tyres.

The department aims to complete the exercise in a week’s time.

Owners of buses found unfit during the inspection are being challaned. “Owners of unfit buses will be given a particular time frame to get their buses repaired. We will re-inspect these buses thereafter,” the director added.

The one-page inspection report was submitted to the Director on Tuesday morning and a copy to the Mapusa police on Monday evening.

The report pointed out that the bus, in which six innocent people died of drowning, had its front tyres worn out even as the wheels axels and spring wheels were intact.

Desai said the bus did not endure leakage of brake fluid and the pedal was in good condition.

However, the RTO inspection officials could not perform a drive test as neither the self starter not the steering and engine of the mini bus was functioning, since these had submerged in water.

The director confirmed that Chandrakant Naik, owner of the bus possessed all relevant documents. “He had paid the road tax and passenger tax valid upto 2012, possession control upto July 6, 2012, fitness tax valid till July 5, 2012 and Road permit valid till July 8, 2012,” he said.

To avoid inconvenience to commuters in the absence of the ill fated bus in Aldona village, the Transport Department has sought special permission from the Chief Electoral Officer to replace the mini bus with another passenger bus.

“The villagers have requested that bus service on this route is be resumed. We are intending to replace the mini bus with a Kadamba bus on the particular schedule. If granted permission we will issue a temporary permit for plying on this route,” Transport Director Arun Desai told Herald.

Since the code of conduct is in force, the department approached the election commission to grant permission.