Chennai: While most Chennaiites enjoyed the heavy downpour on Sunday, there were a few people who may have endangered their lives by travelling in state run transport corporation buses that are not equipped with windshield wipers and sturdy brakes.
Drivers with Metropolitan Transport Corporation rue that while some buses do not have wipers at all, some are jammed due to faulty motors. “A bus must ideally run for seven years, but most of the buses in the city run for more than 15 years as they are also given a safety certificate. As MTC claims to be running at a loss and does not have enough funds, materials are not available,” said a bus driver at Koyambedu bus depot.
Tyres, wipers, brakes and horns —— are all crucial parts for a bus particularly on a rainy day, he emphasised. “The roads get worse after rains and we cannot stop the bus during rains as some passengers would be in a hurry to get home. The authorities must take up the issue,” said another driver.
Another norm flouted blatantly by MTC and TNSTC is in the use of high decibel horns. Despite the Supreme Court order in 2013 banning air horns, the government buses do have these unduly harsh and alarming noise producing horns, the driver added.
Secretary of Nethaji Transport Union, K. Anbazhagan, said as most of the horns in buses are not working, the drivers have opted for blow horns, which are banned. “They tie it to the rear view mirror and use them”, he said.
M. Chandran, Vice President, Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) also said
MTC is running low on inventory and the ratio of officials to workmen is skewed towards officials while it should be the reverse. The use of ban-ned horns might cause problems in the future.
When contacted, an official from the Metropolitan Development Corporation (MTC) said drivers never mentioned about the issue and it would be taken into account during the next fitness check.
