Transport dept selectively targeting bus owners: AGPBOA

Transport dept selectively targeting bus owners: AGPBOA
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, OCT 15
Almost a fortnight after transport department’s drive against erring conductors and drivers, the All Goa Private Bus Owners Association (AGPBOA) have cried foul claming that department was selectively targeting them.
AGPBOA general secretary Sudip Tamankar alleged that buses belonging to only their associations are being fined, till date.
“Those operators who are minister’s cronies and department favourites are left out,” Tamankar said adding that their buses were not checked.
The Transport Department’s drive, which started on October 1, as of now has issued 611 challans to conductors and drivers. Panjim and Margao cities top the list with department issuing 410 challans.
“All these challans are issued to the buses which belong to AGPBOA. Many a times two challans are issued per day,” he said.
Tamankar alleged that RTO is selective in their drive, and ignores the traffic rules violations done by those buses having political backing.
“Such an attitude forces association’s bus drivers and conductors to feel that if others are spared than why they should be targeted,” he added.
The general secretary has also alleged that RTOs, rather than checking uniforms, overloading and other required documents, pay more attention to the type of paints applied to the buses, lights, seat covers, etc.
The association has already raised the issue before transport director Arun Desai, twice in last 15 days. “We have given a week’s time to the department to take serious note of the matter or else we will issue notice asking them to withdraw the drive,” general secretary stated.
The drive was initiated after AGPBOA agreed to the fact that they have no control over erring drivers and conductors. However, many private bus operators felt that the drive is like department’s dictatorship on the road.
“Those people with the backing of political masters are opposing this drive, which actually aims to wipe out rampant irregularities in the public transport system,” Tamankar said.
Earlier this week, Tamankar had also logged a police complaint against bus operators Yaduvir Simepurushkar and Augustine Pereira, for threatening him during a special meeting convened on October 10.
The association, with five hundred members, runs around 14,000 buses across the state.
Rubbishing the charges, Desai said that challans are issued to all those who are violating traffic rules irrespective of who owns the bus. “It will be better that rather than making allegations against us, the association try and improve the bus transport system in the state,” he said.