Mangalore: Contract firms violating transport rules?

DHNS

Surathkal, 08 May 2012: The contract companies are clearly violating the transport rules while transporting the labourers to MSEZ construction sites.

 

Despite the two recent accidents, which have occurred due to the violation of transport rules, the Regional Transport Office seems to have maintained silence.

 

During an accident that occurred at Shantigudde three months ago, a bus belonging to a contract company plunged into a gorge claiming the lives of three passengers.

 

 In the Sunday’s accident near Jokatte, eight poor contract labourers lost their lives as the truck that was transporting them plunged into a gorge. What was common in both the accidents was the clear cut violation of the transport rules.

 

The first accident occurred as the bus was over loaded with people and the second accident occurred as large number of workers were reportedly made to travel in a goods truck.

 

The MSEZ workers are usually transported in goods vehicles like pick-up, mini lorries and 407 lorries without paying attention to the safety aspects. The workers too ignore the transport rules and try to fit in the overcrowded vehicle.

 

The road that leads to the construction site too is quite dangerous with zig zag curves making the journey more dangerous.

 

A few of the contract companies though transport the workers in buses, it does not lessen the possibility of accident as the buses are overcrowded with the workers.

 

 Many a times the workers sit on the roof top of the bus and travel only to reach the work site on time.