PUNE: The Regional Transport Office (RTO), Pune has issued notices to cancel the fitness certificate issued to 15 buses belonging to the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML). It has ordered the public transport body to take the buses off the road until they are re-issued the certificate.
According to the RTO, “The buses were found to be lacking in several issues pertaining to electrical wiring, firefighting equipment, dangerously damaged seats and overall condition.”
Pune Deputy RTO Vinod Sagre said, “The buses were checked by our vehicle inspectors following repeated complaints lodged by passengers about the poor health of PMPML buses as well the buses catching fire at an alarming frequency,” Sagre said.
“Although the RTO is experiencing a severe staff crunch, the deteriorating health of PMPML buses led us to take up the drive,” Sagre further added.
“We have served the notices to the PMPML to take these 15 buses off the road after they were found to have technical and physical issues such as faulty or damaged electrical wiring, damaged seats, unfit engines, among others. The notices have been issued saying that if the PMPML fails to address the issues, the fitness certificates of these buses will be cancelled. The PMPML can address the issues raised and then bring these buses back on the road,” said Sagre.
The drive to check PMPML buses will continue, he added. The issue of fitness of PMPML buses came to the fore due to frequent incidents of buses catching fire. In the past one-and-a-half months, 19 buses - either owned and operated by the PMPML or operated for the transport body by private contractors - have caught fire. Alarmed by the situation and facing flak from commuters and activists alike, the PMPML had ordered an inquiry into the incidents.
Officials said a fact-finding committee comprising PMPML and RTO officials, which had probed the past cases of fire, had cited “technical problems” with the CNG buses. The PMPML also urged the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) to conduct a fire audit, which is yet to happen.
STAFFERS TO CHECK BUSES LEAVING DEPOTS
The PMPML administration has deputed five employees each at all its 13 depots. They have been made responsible for checking every bus arriving and departing from the depot. According to officials, “Each depot will have five staff members to check buses before they ply on roads. They will check the entire bus and after a green signal, the bus will leave the depot. The checking of buses includes brakes, fire equipment, wires, gear, steering and seats. The officials will submit a report to CMD Nayana Gunde on a daily basis.”
