Kerala: Luxury buses apply no brake on overpeeding

Kochi: It seems speed detection cameras of the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) are no deterrent for overspeeding by luxury private buses operating interstate services to destinations like Bengaluru. Take this: 11 buses of a single operator conducting services to Bengaluru from Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi and back accounted for 447 violations amassing a collective fine of Rs 1.78 lakh. Two of the buses alone accounted for 417 of those violations and were captured over-speeding multiple times on the same day.

"The multi-axle buses of 13 private operators alone were caught overspeeding nearly 1000 times by 202 speed detention cameras set up across the state. The current fine of Rs 400 for overspeeding, including for repeated offence, is hardly proving to be a deterrent as the operators are readily making the payment," a senior MVD official said.

"They are made to pay the fine within a week failing which strict action like detention of services will be taken," he added. The alarming frequency came to the notice of the MVD officers upon compilation of data at the Ernakulam regional transport office regarding challans issued in the last one year.

"People seem to be under the impression that 90 kilometre per hour is permissible in every four-lane road stretch in the state for all class of vehicles whereas it is permissible only on the Cherthala-Mannuthy stretch. Heavy passenger and goods vehicles are not allowed to touch those speeds even on that stretch," he said.  Medium/heavy passenger vehicles/heavy goods vehicles are allowed to touch a maximum speed of 65 kilometres per hour on national highways and 70 kilometre per hour on four-lane roads.