Reckless Volvo drivers responsible for many deaths

KANPUR: Reckless driving by Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) Volvo bus drivers has snuffed out many precious lives in the past few days.
Statistics available with police reveal that three persons died and 42 got injured in separate accidents involving high-end Volvo buses in the city and Kanpur Dehat district in June. The investigators blamed over-speeding and rash driving for these accidents.The overturning of two Volvo buses, one in Kanpur Dehat and the other in Panki area of the city last month is a glaring example of this.
Meanwhile, the preliminary evidence obtained by UPSRTC authorities shows drivers of both the Volvo buses were at fault for the accidents that took place on June 20 and June 29.
According to UPSRTC service manager Ramesh Kumar, the drivers of both the UPSRTC Volvo buses, who escaped unhurt, were responsible for the accident. "In the June 20 accident which left a woman dead and 20 others injured, the driver was over-speeding and in the June 29 accident, where two persons died and 22 others sustained critical wounds, the driver was over-speeding and also did not also maintained a safe distance and rammed the vehicle into a truck," he said.
He also informed that in the June 20 incident, the UPSRTC officials had asked the Volvo bus company to pay Rs 10 lakh as fine.
At present, there are 28 Volvo buses, with 60 drivers operational on various routes across the state. The drivers of these high-end buses undergo rigorous training session before they are being recruited by the company. "We would also go through the training credentials of both these drivers and have asked the Volvo company to produce report card for further action," he said.
However, police apathy can be gauged from the fact that it has been more than two weeks since the accident involving Volvo buses belonging to a private company and hired by UPSRTC, took place, but the cops have failed to trace the drivers, despite having the registration number of both the buses.
Meanwhile, no special assistance was provided to the victims and injured people undergoing treatment at various private and government hospitals.
Relatives of 23-year-old Jahnavi, who hails from Assam, and whose right hand had to be amputated following June 20 Volvo bus mishap, were not familiar with the city or the hospital. They kept struggling to get blood units, medicines and surgical items. None from the district administration or UPSRTC visited the hospital to assist them.
On Wednesday, an official of the UPSRTC reached the hospital and tried to convince them that the driver was at fault and assured them that the company, which has hired him would be penalised.
The family, however, at this point of time is only expecting best medical treatment for Jahnavi, who is recuperating at general ward of a private hospital. "Till date, we haven’t received any medical aid from government. We wish best medical treatment for early recovery of Jahnavi," her aunt Dipika said.