JOIN USWhile the bus drivers involved in accidents unanimously take a defence contending that accidents happened due to mechanical failure, top officials in Delhi Transport Corporation claimed that most of the mishaps occur due to negligence on the part of drivers.
“As per the data available till February, not a single accident has happened due to a technical failure. The first line of defence which drivers take is brake failure. However, most of the time investigation reveals that drivers’ negligence is the cause,” said a senior DTC official.
In a series of accidents involving DTC buses, a standard-floor bus killed one person and injured six others in Vikaspuri area of west Delhi on Sunday.
The driver, Surendra Sharma claimed that he could not control the bus as the brake failed. But DTC officials said the exact cause will be ascertained only after proper investigation. The officials maintained that negligence by drivers has been the prime reason behind accidents. And several drivers – both permanent and on contract – were suspended after found guilty.
While DTC buses were involved in 52 fatal accidents in 2010, the numbers has increased to 83 in 2011.
Over the first five months this year, the buses have been involved in 22 fatal accidents despite DTC management’s special checking drive to ensure proper operation of buses.
One such, 10-day, drive began on May 21. Similar drives have been conducted by the corporation in January 2012 and December last year.
However, they have failed to make much of an impact. Several drivers and conductors have been booked for not following standard procedural norms.
During the special drive, DTC officials also found that policemen have been travelling without tickets on buses.