The head of the Karnataka State Lorry Owners’ and Agents’ Association G R Shanmugappa seemingly feels that 1300 fatalities caused by truck drivers in 2015 is not that big a number which would push them to fit speed governors in their vehicles.
Times of India quoted Shanmugappa as saying, “Of the 10,758 people who died on roads this year across Karnataka, `only' 1,300 people died to due to trucks. There is no point in fitting speed governors to the trucks. Besides, the transport department has made it mandatory to fit speed governors in all old vehicles that appear for fitness certification before RTOs. But no old vehicle will travel at a speed of 80 kmph. Then why should we fit all vehicles with governors.”
In October, the central government had announced that older trucks would not be issued fitness certificate if they did not have a speed governor in their vehicles.
Association drops protest plans
The issue was sparked after operators, whose vehicles were rejected fitness certificate on grounds of lack of speed governors, planned an indefinite strike and decided to park their vehicles at the jurisdictional RTO offices from December 1.
They dropped their plans after Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy gave an assurance to look into their demands.
In a meeting with the transport minister on Monday, Ramalinga Reddy, members of the association asked him to pass on their views against the speed governor to the High Court that had previously asked the government to make sure all vehicles were fitted with speed governors by 1 April, 2016.
“We will wait for two days. We will see what the government does and then decide on the strike,” Shanmugappa said after a meeting with Reddy on Monday.
Price of speed governors too high
The members were upset with the central government for recommending speed governors that cost Rs 12,500 each, whereas they were available for Rs 2,500 in markets in New Delhi.
Association members asked the Transport minister to make speed governors available at a reasonable price or challenge the HC order of making the installation of speed governors mandatory before March 31, 2016.
They have filed a PIL has been filed before the HC, and While all other states are taking their own time to comply with the central government speed governor rule, Karnataka government has been asked to implement the rule ‘in a hurry’, reported Deccan Herald.
“So we requested the government to communicate to the HC and request to relax the deadline. By then, we will approach the central government to withdraw the controversial order itself,” Shanmugappa said.
Mileage problem
The association’s other problem with fitting speed governor is that the mileage of the vehicle would drop, reported TOI.
“Vehicles, once fitted with instruments, also witness drop in mileage as it has been reduced from 4 km per litre to 2.5 km per litre. If government, too, complies with the rule with the KSRTC buses, then it will incur a loss of `100-150 crore every year,” he said.
Transport minister Ramalinga Reddy said, "We will talk to our Advocate General and also seek legal opinion of the law ministry, and find ways to redress the grievances of the transport associations.
This is an aggregated report from Times of India, Deccan Herald.