SRTC fiat against drivers using mobiles, playing music

Allahabad: Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has put a blanket ban on playing music and using cell phones by drivers on all long-distance routes as well as in city public transportation operated by it. A circular issued by the corporation has cited a number of accidents in which drivers were found making a call or listening to music, for the ban.
The drivers could face stringent action to the extent of termination in case of contractual employees and suspension in case of regular drivers if they were caught by flying squad defying the ban.
“The drivers were not following the rules and regulations resulting in a number of accidents especially at turnings so the provision was issued,” said Regional Manager, UPSRTC, Ramjeet Verma.
As per records, in the past one year three major accidents were reportedly caused while drivers were talking on mobile phone or listening music on tape at their cabins. As per the official, minor road accidents go unreported due to absence of witness or non-complaint by passengers.
In one of the cases reported by ticket checking squad, a driver on Allahabad-Varanasi route failed to stop the bus even after signaled for the same by the squad as he was busy talking on phone.
In the month of May, a bus of Varanasi Region met an accident due to this reason. “There is a need to organise awareness campaigns for passengers. Though the drivers are putting the lives of passengers to risk, they are refraining from lodging complaint against the former despite the complaint process being made simple,” said the regional manager.
Further, the passengers can also lodge complaints through a phone call to the assistant regional manager of the depot concerned or the regional manager of a particular region or even to the managing director of the corporation if the bus director concerned is found to be using cell phone or playing music.