In response to a Right to Information (RTI) petition filed by social activist M Kasimayan, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) Madurai has revealed that 205 drivers used their mobile phones while driving public buses between 2010 and 2022. Among the 205 drivers in Madurai, only six offenders were levied a fine, but the stipulated fine amount was not collected from them. The remaining 199 were not even levied a fine. Using mobile phones while driving draws a fine of Rs 1,000. Additionally, TNSTC Madurai admitted to not having purchased first-aid refill kits for three years in the past.
According to TNSTC, 157 public bus drivers in Madurai used their mobile phones while driving in the last 10 years. The data as of November 5, 2022, stated that the highest number of offenders totalling 24, were identified in 2022 and 2017, followed by 20 in 2019. While Rs 1,000 should have been collected from all the first-time offenders apart from taking disciplinary action against them, TNSTC’s response confirmed that only Rs 2,100 had been collected in total from six offenders in four different years (2012, 2016, 2017, 2021). No fine was levied on any of the offenders in 2022.
“A total of Rs 2.05 lakh should have been collected from the 205 offenders. Even if you calculate for six offenders who were fined, Rs 6,000 should have been collected, but the government has charged those drivers incorrectly. One person was fined Rs 200 in 2016 while another person was fined Rs 1,100 in 2017,” said Kasimayan. Meanwhile, disciplinary actions such as cutting these offenders’ increments for a couple of months or more, and issuing a show-cause notice, among others, were taken against all the offenders, according to the RTI response.
An official from TNSTC confirmed that these fines are charged by them upon receiving complaints from the public. “If we receive complaints with photographic evidence, we are supposed to charge them with a fine and take disciplinary action against the individuals,” he said.
Further, TNSTC’s response cited that all the 1,004 buses in Madurai had fully equipped first-aid boxes. It additionally said that no first-aid refill kits (which are mandated to be placed behind the driver’s seat in public buses) were purchased between 2016 and 2017, and between 2020 and 2022. Kasimayan questioned how the buses were given fitness clearances. “This questions the legitimacy of the fitness certificates (FCs) that were issued during those years as first-aid boxes are to be compulsorily kept in all the public buses,” he added. FCs are to be obtained once every two years until the vehicle turns eight years old after which their FCs are required to undergo renewal every year.
According to TNSTC, a total of 3,125 first-aid refill kits were purchased for public buses in Madurai for more than Rs 10 lakh between 2010 and 2022.
Kasimayan had filed a similar RTI about Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai). The response showed that the fines collected were similarly disproportional to the offences committed. The MTC levied fines on 775 offenders for using their mobile phones while driving but collected only Rs 9,100 against Rs 7.75 lakh. The RTI response did not provide any information regarding the number of first-aid kits which were purchased by the Chennai MTC.