The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is all set to make it mandatory for its drivers to undergo a breathalyzer test at depots before handing over buses to them.
The move is aimed to ensure zero risk and safety of passengers. This will also help in keeping track of the habitual drunk drivers so that punitive action can be taken against them.
According to sources in the KSRTC, some drivers consume liquor after leaving the depot. To prevent this, the KSRTC has also identified 12 points across the state to check its drivers for drunk driving.
Earlier, the KSRTC was using analog breathalyzers which were rarely used to check drivers. Sometimes, the recording shown by these old devices was also faulty. Besides, there was no registry of the drivers involved in drunk driving.
“There was a random check of drivers. There was no proper registry of their case history,” Rajender Kumar Kataria, Managing Director, KSRTC told Deccan Herald.
The KSRTC covers around 28 lakh scheduled kilometer and ferries close to 26 lakh passengers every day. In the last three years, the number of drunk drivers detected has come down by a few hundreds. But, the issue still remains a concern for the state-run bus operator as such drivers could put passengers’ lives in danger.
“Regular checkup and data also help to keep track of all drivers. If there are habitual drunkards, it becomes easy to take action against such persons besides taking corrective measures by sending them to a de-addiction centre.”
The KSRTC has procured 78 alcometers under the Road Safety and Emergency Health Care Fund financed by the World Bank. These machines will be distributed to all the 78 depots in the state. These handheld digital alcometers also print the results which makes it easier to maintain a record. The KSRTC will train its security staff and depot officials in using the breathalyzer, the sources said.
