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Drive to focus on private buses

Staff Reporter

Talks on with bus operators to streamline bus stops in the city

KOCHI: The special traffic drive that the City Police are planning to implement will have programmes addressing the issue of the private buses.

"Some initial discussions were made with representatives of bus operators regarding the streamlining of bus stops in the city," said Manoj Abraham, City Police Commissioner.

It was suggested that the number of bus stops be reduced by clubbing stops that were too close. This would reduce the traffic hold-ups caused by buses having to stop frequently.

"This woudl be done after evaluating the present situation and thus reaching a mutual agreement," Mr. Abraham said. The Commissioner has convened a meeting of representatives of private bus owners and employees on March 28, where a decision is likely to be reached.

This along with the installation of speed governors should solve traffic problems created by the private buses to a great extent, said Mr. Abraham. He said that the bus operators were made aware of the need to install speed governors in their vehicles.

The police had also taken steps to increase the visibility and use of complaint cards issued for the public to lodge complaints against erring private bus operators and autorickshaw drivers.

"Even though, we were prompt in registering cases based on complaints lodged using the cards, the complainants were not informed about the actions taken. This led to the impression that no action was being taken on their complaints. To correct this, we have evolved a system where the complainant would be informed over the phone about the action taken on the complaint," said Mr. Abraham.

The police had earlier suggested improving the bus bays so that the buses need not stop on the road to take in passengers. Also, steps were taken to divert long-distance services going out of the city along Subhash Chandra Bose Road to reduce the traffic along Sahodaran Ayyappan Road.

Along with these series of programmes meant for private buses, the city police are also launching programmes to address the issues of autorickshaw services. "We expect to start four pre-paid autorickshaw counters soon with computerised fare billing system," said Mr. Abraham.

The police had identified pre-paid counters at the two railway stations and two main bus terminals. A fifth pre-paid counter has been planned at General Hospital Junction.

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