pune: Preliminary investigations into Monday's accident involving a blue PMPML bus which killed a motorcyclist in Bibvewadi indicate that the driver was speeding, the transport utility's authorities said on Tuesday.
"The unfortunate accident is being thoroughly investigated. Preliminary investigations show that the brakes of the bus and even the brake pressure of the vehicle were fine. We found that the driver was speeding and the road on which the accident took place has a slope which made him lose control over the wheel. Further, with the private contractors constantly changing their drivers, this driver was fairly new and didn't apply his mind, forgetting to pull the hand brake," PMPML CMD Tukaram Mundhe, said on Tuesday.
He said private contractors were not working as per the terms. "According to the terms of the contract, 90% of the buses in the fleet of each contractor have to ply. Barring one, the other four are not following the terms. They have been given eight days to comply with the terms or tough action will be initiated against them," Mundhe added.
All 853 buses operated by the five contractors __ Mahalaxmi Transport, Antony Garages, BVG India, Travel Time and Prasanna Purple, are run on CNG. Mahalaxmi Transport alone, whose bus was involved in the mishap, operates 286 buses. Mundhe said only BVG India was plying to the above norm.
He said changes were made to ensure that the buses were maintained.
"Apart from daily maintenance, plans are for each bus to be docked where the engine will be removed and thoroughly checked every ten days. It will be done every quarter and annually. Earlier, after every 45,000km, the engines would be checked. Now, it has been reduced to after 20,000km run. Servicing of the buses earlier used to be done after every 3,750km. Now, it mandatory for the bus to go through servicing in every 10 days'. Furthermore, drivers' training is focussed on safe driving and fuel efficiency," the PMPML CMD added.
At a seminar on 'Traffic in Pune' last week, a Central Institute of Road Transport official said one of their surveys showed that pedestrians in Pune were afraid to cross a road using a zebra crossing fearing an accident and wanted subways.
"This is so very dangerous. How can a bus speed on busy roads and that too during peak hours?" questioned daily commuter Anant Manjarekar.
He said, "In Pune, traffic is bad with people paying no heed to regulations and the cops turning a blind eye. The PMPML should take serious steps to educate their drivers."
"The unfortunate accident is being thoroughly investigated. Preliminary investigations show that the brakes of the bus and even the brake pressure of the vehicle were fine. We found that the driver was speeding and the road on which the accident took place has a slope which made him lose control over the wheel. Further, with the private contractors constantly changing their drivers, this driver was fairly new and didn't apply his mind, forgetting to pull the hand brake," PMPML CMD Tukaram Mundhe, said on Tuesday.
He said private contractors were not working as per the terms. "According to the terms of the contract, 90% of the buses in the fleet of each contractor have to ply. Barring one, the other four are not following the terms. They have been given eight days to comply with the terms or tough action will be initiated against them," Mundhe added.
All 853 buses operated by the five contractors __ Mahalaxmi Transport, Antony Garages, BVG India, Travel Time and Prasanna Purple, are run on CNG. Mahalaxmi Transport alone, whose bus was involved in the mishap, operates 286 buses. Mundhe said only BVG India was plying to the above norm.
He said changes were made to ensure that the buses were maintained.
"Apart from daily maintenance, plans are for each bus to be docked where the engine will be removed and thoroughly checked every ten days. It will be done every quarter and annually. Earlier, after every 45,000km, the engines would be checked. Now, it has been reduced to after 20,000km run. Servicing of the buses earlier used to be done after every 3,750km. Now, it mandatory for the bus to go through servicing in every 10 days'. Furthermore, drivers' training is focussed on safe driving and fuel efficiency," the PMPML CMD added.
At a seminar on 'Traffic in Pune' last week, a Central Institute of Road Transport official said one of their surveys showed that pedestrians in Pune were afraid to cross a road using a zebra crossing fearing an accident and wanted subways.
"This is so very dangerous. How can a bus speed on busy roads and that too during peak hours?" questioned daily commuter Anant Manjarekar.
He said, "In Pune, traffic is bad with people paying no heed to regulations and the cops turning a blind eye. The PMPML should take serious steps to educate their drivers."
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