The Hindu : Old buses phased out in capital

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 28, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Old buses phased out in capital

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MARCH 27 . The Motor Vehicles Department has phased out all buses in the State capital that have completed 15 years, as part of a State-wide measure to enhance safety standards.

As many as 10 buses out of the 105 private buses plying in the capital and 100 in Attingal were replaced by private bus operators, the cut-off date being January 19.

The department, which initiated the move to phase out stage carriers that had completed 15 years in 1998, could complete the process only this year, as the order of the Regional Transport Authority was challenged by the bus operators in court. The decision to phase out old buses was taken as the authorities found that many buses that had passed the mandatory Certificate of Fitness (CF) Test were in a poor condition.

Although the buses are painted and produced for the CF test every year, there is no mechanism to find out whether the parts of the bus or even the chassis itself was rusted.

The entry of operators with old buses also forced the department to introduce the restriction.

Although the established private bus operators try to introduce new buses, small operators do not bother to replace rickety buses, according to official sources. Moreover, the mounting accidents involving private buses forced the Government to act.

The decision to phase out rickety buses could not be implemented in Pathanamthitta district as the two-year period granted by the High Court would be over only by July this year, according to the Secretary of the State Transport Authority, Alex Paul.

All the buses of the State-owned KSRTC's fleet are below 15 years now, according to Mr. Paul.

However, the department does not plan to introduce restrictions on other classes of vehicles now as was done in New Delhi, he added.

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