Frequent accidents take the sheen off KSRTC's Scania

Thiruvananthapuram: With nine accidents in less than six months, the much-hyped multi-axle Scania buses have brought unexpected costs to the Kerala State Transport Corporation (KSRTC).
According to the information obtained by TOI through RTI, an amount of Rs 4,99,906 has been spent by KSRTC for spare parts and maintenance of the luxury fleet since its introduction in April, 2016.
The latest accident involving KSRTC bus occurred near the Aluva bridge on September 10 when an Alappuzha bound KSRTC bus hit a truck .
As per the received information, a total of eight buses have been met with accident till August 27, 2016.
A Thiruvananthapuram-Coimbatore (RP 655) bus met with an accident at the Chalakudy municipal junction on April 25. The bus had hit a car and its left side and fibre sheet frame got damaged.
In another accident at Kudathumpara, near Pantheerankavu at Kozhikode, on June 8, a Thiruvananthapuram-Mysore (RP 656) bus had hit a truck, which as per the report prepared by the KSRTC occurred as the Scania bus driver hadn't maintained the required distance from the truck ahead.
The conductor of the bus had suffered minor injuries in the accident, in which the front side, wiper, front lights and door of the bus were also damaged. On June 19, Thiruvananthapuram-Manipal (RP 660) bus had hit a tree branch at Purameri near Nadapuram at 3am.
It had impaired the left side of front glass and frame of the bus. In an accident at Wayanad, a tree-branch had fallen on the Scania bus RP 657 Mysore-Thiruvananthapuram on June 23 breaking the front glass of the bus. According to the accident report prepared by a controlling inspector of KSRTC Thiruvananthapuram central depot, a container truck in front of the Scania bus had hit the tree branch which had broken off and fell on the bus.
Another Scania bus RP 659, was damaged when the roof of the bus hit an aqueduct in Thottakkattukara, Aluva on May 4.
According to the accident report, the Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru bus was diverted from regular route at Aluva due to metro work.
A driver of one of the Scania buses said the road in the state is not comfortable for these types of luxury buses.
"We are not able to drive in the state as per the training provided to us in Bengaluru. During our training in Bengaluru, we were told to not to use the retarded brake during rain as the bus may skid. Later, the KSRTC officials asked us to apply the retarded brake in case of emergency," he said.
Meanwhile, KSRTC former CMD Antony Chacko said that he is unaware of the number of accidents involving Scania buses. "I am not aware of the number of accidents involving KSRTC Scania. KSRTC conducts continues corrective training for drivers involved in accidents," said Chacko.