House panel seeks report on Volvo accidents

A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport has decided to seek a report from the Road Transport and Highways Ministry on the recent Volvo bus accidents in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka that killed over 50 people.

“Are there something in Indian conditions that Volvo has not taken into account or is there something wrong in the manner in which our people are operating these buses? These have to be seriously considered. The committee will enquire into it,” Sitaram Yechury, chairman of the standing committee, told reporters here.

“We don’t understand, whether it is a new technically advanced thing that Volvo is producing or something is wrong. We will ask the Ministry for certain clarifications and make our recommendations,” Yechury said.

He also questioned road designs and planning. “In one of our reports, we have very strongly criticised that the government is not adhering to technical aspects of road building. We hope the ministry will give its action taken report during the current session.”  

Talking about collection of toll, he said: “It is nothing but double taxation and should be scrapped immediately.” The government has already imposed cess on diesel and petrol for road development and therefore there is no need for collecting charges from road users, he said.