Over 2000 cases in 3 weeks: Kochi police crackdown on private buses in the city

The Kochi City Police registered 2,003 petty cases against bus crew members during inspections conducted between September 9 and 30.

According to a statement issued by the police on Friday, October 2, the violations detected during the three-week enforcement drive included dangerous and negligent driving, racing between buses, excessive honking, driving under the influence of alcohol, operating without valid licences, and several violations related to passenger safety.

The police said 407 cases were registered against bus crew members for not wearing uniforms, while 259 cases were recorded against conductors who did not possess valid licences.

As many as 130 cases were registered for competitive driving, while 71 cases involved dangerous or negligent driving. Police also detected 41 instances in which bus drivers were allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

The enforcement drive also found 13 cases of excessive honking and 221 instances of buses carrying passengers with their doors open. Police registered 54 cases for blocking free-left lanes and 280 cases for failing to stop at designated bus stops.

Another 23 cases were registered for signal violations, while the remaining cases involved various other violations.

The enforcement comes against the backdrop of repeated complaints and incidents involving private buses in Kochi, including allegations of aggressive honking, dangerous overtaking, and confrontations between bus crews. Over the past few weeks, incidents involving buses have also raised concerns over competitive driving and road rage on some of the city's congested stretches. In one recent case, a dispute between the crews of two buses escalated into a physical confrontation, while other incidents have involved buses allegedly hitting two-wheelers and threatening other road users.

The police said they were also conducting awareness classes for bus crew members to discourage violations.

Action has additionally been initiated to report to the Motor Vehicles Department those cases involving drivers who allegedly drove under the influence of alcohol or drove dangerously and negligently, for proceedings to cancel their driving licences.

The city police said enforcement against violations by employees of buses operating in Kochi would continue in the coming days. The police also said they had received around 1,383 applications from employees of buses operating in Kochi for police verification certificates.

Verification proceedings on these applications are currently under way, according to the City Police Commissioner. The verification exercise comes as the police step up measures to monitor bus crew members amid concerns over repeated violations and incidents involving private buses on city roads.

The police said strict legal action would continue against bus employees found violating traffic and safety regulations.