West Bengal Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty Discusses Measures to Curb Rash Driving with Bus Operators

The West Bengal government has urged bus operators to take measures against reckless driving. They suggested creating a real-time communication network with bus drivers to monitor speed. This comes after a child's death due to a bus race in Kolkata, sparking public outrage. A meeting was held between officials and bus operators to address these concerns.

State Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty stated that the meeting led to the decision to identify and mark dangerous areas for pedestrians, motorists, and passengers across the state. Senior transport and police officials are working on developing a seamless network for real-time communication with bus drivers. This system aims to monitor driver movements and enable quick responses during incidents.

Addressing Rash Driving Concerns

The meeting included various stakeholders such as bus owners' associations, state transport heads, police, and senior transport officials. Minister Chakraborty mentioned that if a person dies in a bus accident, murder charges will be filed against the responsible driver. Additionally, private bus owners were asked to eliminate the commission system, which encourages rash driving.

The commission system incentivises drivers to overtake other vehicles for monetary gain by attracting more passengers. Late-running buses face fines, as noted by a member of the West Bengal Bus and Minibus Owners Association. Complaints about this system being a root cause of reckless driving have been frequent.

Challenges Beyond Bus Drivers

Tapan Banerjee, General Secretary of the Joint Council of Bus Syndicate, highlighted other issues affecting road safety. He pointed out problems like pavement encroachment by hawkers, road congestion due to autorickshaws and slow-moving vehicles, and jaywalking. These issues were discussed during the meeting.

Banerjee emphasised that while disciplining bus drivers is crucial, other factors should not be overlooked. He suggested prosecuting scooterists without helmets and regulating three-wheelers. "Only buses should not be singled out for accidents," he remarked.

Following the November 12 accident, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee instructed the transport minister to hold an urgent meeting with bus operators and relevant parties. The aim is to address these pressing concerns comprehensively and improve road safety across West Bengal.