Bus Accident, when our people learn lessons?

After happy Deshara and Deepawali Celebration, the people of Sikkim witnessed a very sorrowful incident of bus accident. On the fateful day of October 25, the Sikkim Nationalized Transport bus was returning from Jorethang to Gangtok carrying 68 and more passengers at the time of mishap. The actual capacity of bus was only 35 seats and the tickets were issued accordingly. But it is the sad affairs that during the festival time, many passengers tend to take lift by bus due to shortage of vehicles and also because of costly taxi fare. The Government of Sikkim particularly Motor vehicle (Transport Department) and Traffic police have issued the directives to the concerned vehicle operators to observe the rule properly and not to lift the passengers beyond the capacity. Despite the directives and notices, it is also the duty to find out and check out by the traffic police and transport inspectors in every vehicle and ensure that no over loaded vehicle is plying in this fragile ecological hill road.

The unfortunate bus was taking turn at 20 mile near Baghey Khola, Burdang, some Kilometer away from Singtam. There might have been checked at Rongpoo post while the bus SK-04/0830 crossed the check post. It is possible that due to festival, the police also did not notice the over loaded numbers of passengers or just overlooked it. Even if they had sincerely checked the bus, it was also possible that drivers had dropped the over loaded passengers near West Bengal boarder and suggested them to walk and cross and again take lift from Rongpoo bazaar. In order to defeat this tactics, the traffic police must be alert enough in the other side or bus stand at Rongpoo bazaar. It is also possible that some passengers asked for lift from Rongpoo Bazaar or outside Rongpoo bazaar. It is also possible that due to over load and speed the bus could not move smoothly and maintained the balance and fallen flat at the ground and then moved round from the cliff towards the Teesta river killing more than 18 persons on the spot and 21 persons total so far and injured many. The death toll may be increased since there are many others gravely injured person still under critical condition in the hospitals. Whatever may be the possibility and cause of the accident, the actual reason and truth will come out after police investigates the cause properly. The main concern felt by majority of the people however is that during deshara and deepawali festival, extra care and even good service by SNT must be provided for such incident took place in the past too, but nobody took any lesson from the past incident.

The gruesome incident sent shock wave to the passengers all over the state who prefer to make journey by SNT bus. Most of the persons who died on the spot and in the hospital belong to poor family who cannot afford to travel by other expensive private taxi and other reason why they had to travel by bus as already mentioned was because of the non availability or alternative means of conveyance during this puja festival. Drivers are always blamed for such mishap and directly, they are responsible too. However, the people too must have clear conscience and conception in their minds that whether it is wise decision to travel at a risk by the buses which are fully crowded and over loaded. One cannot travel comfortably by such buses which are over crowded and the standing passengers like in plain area. In hill area, the risk of accident is manifold as compared to plain area due to bend and curves on the road. If Sikkim traffic police would not have been so particular about over load in the vehicle, many such incident would have been taken places till the date. It is well known fact that as compared to West Bengal and other states, traffic police of Sikkim is particular in maintaining the order of vehicular movement specially with regard to the capacity. However such mishap takes place due to many reasons. The main reason for such tragic incident is the reckless driving and another reason is ignorance or repeated mistakes by our people, who dare to take risk in the over loaded bus. They must keep in mind that in this hilly region, where there are so many crossings and narrow lanes, it is not safe to travel by bus over crowded or beyond the capacity. SNT authority too must ensure only mini bus or suitable conveyance to the condition of the hill road and only such vehicle must be allowed to ply. The hill people must not travel if they do not find proper vehicle to travel. It is better not to travel and reach the home next day postponing the visit than to die in such mishap. One must not travel in the hill hurriedly without proper verification of vehicle condition and capacity. One must keep in mind that the earth will end today itself and no harm will be there if one postpones or delays the travel by a day or so. It is not wise on their parts to risk and be killed like an animal. It is noticed that the hill people put pressure to driver or for that matter insisted on riding the bus even if they are not allowed by drivers or operators. It is obvious that during puja festival, there would be dire need of vehicles and buses in the hilly states. The normal taxi fares will be hiked by touts under such situation. As such poor people are compelled to travel by bus even if there would be no capacity or seats available for them. Like in the plain area, they prefer to stand, but in hilly area, there is every possibility of accidents while the buses move in the turning and through curbed lanes. The bus can fall any time due to imbalance of the load in the hill and such mishap take place. A fair knowledge or a knowhow and strategy or the guidance and rule much be framed for the passengers who travel in the hill road. Even in the plain area, such incident takes place, but the loss of lives are not so alarming there as bus cannot falls down from the cliff to the lower ground like in the present case.

It is again the fault or lacunae of the prevalent system by which such mishap occurred in this hilly state. The Government of Sikkim, particularly the transport Department must find out a long term policy of running buses which must safe to the passengers and comfortable. If needed, they have to arrange for extra buses also in time of such urgency. If any passengers violate and travel without ticket, they have to fine rigorously, a fine of not less than Rs. 5000.00 or imprisonment and the drivers also must be punished for plying vehicle overloaded or beyond the capacity. If the Government will not make any positive system at once, SNT Department will loss its fame and it will earned bad name like butcher who kill animal mercilessly.


http://www.himgirinepali.com/

News Photographs : http://www.sikkimonline.info/showthread.php?t=959