After Lasya Nanditha mishap, test for drivers of VIPs, top officials

Hyderabad: Following the death of BRS MLA G. Lasya Nanditha in a car crash on the Outer Ring Road on Friday, the transport department said it would write to ministers and legislators and top IPS and IAS officers to send their drivers for a driving test and for updating their skills.

Transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar explained on Sunday said that the department would initiate a special drive to prevent road mishaps, while speaking to mediapersons at Gandhi Bhavan on Sunday.

"We have noticed that a number of VIPs lost their lives in road accidents at different places. The drivers working at VIPs including ministers, MLAs, IPS and IAS officers have to update themselves with driving rules and regulations,” Prabhakar said.

“There is a need to provide special training for such drivers to prevent accidents,” he said and added that letters will be written to the dignitaries to send their drivers for training. “We will announce the complete guidelines soon,” the minister said.

Prabhakar also stated that TSRTC was facing a Rs 6,000-crore debt under the BRS government. After the Congress came to power, the government had taken measures to attract more passengers in an effort to clear the debt. One of the ways to do this was by implementing the Maha Lakshmi scheme of free bus travel for women.

To support autorickshaw drivers, the government would provide Rs 12,000 financial assistance for them and the scheme would be unveiled soon. He also said the government was committed to conducting a caste census on the lines of the exercise in Bihar. “To finalise formalities for the caste census, the government will call an all-party meeting soon," Prabhakar said.