Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) has been harsher in its condemnation of employee drunk driving, firing seven bus drivers in the last six months after they tested positive for alcohol multiple times while they were working.
KTCL uses breathalysers to randomly test its drivers for alcohol consumption. Those found driving while intoxicated face severe disciplinary action, according to the company’s managing director Derrek Neto.
According to Neto, “We identify alcoholics through these random checks.”
The KTC first gives a driver a showcause notice if they discover that they are intoxicated. As a last warning, the driver is moved to alternate routes if the offense is committed again.
Advocates for road safety praised the zero-tolerance policy for public safety, but it has resulted in the termination of seven drivers from their jobs thus far. The company has also been plagued by an aging fleet of buses, which has resulted in a lot of malfunctions and mishaps in recent years.
Between 2020 and 2023, KTC buses were involved in 87 accidents: six of them were fatal, 47 of them were major and resulted in serious injuries, and 34 of them were minor incidents.
There were 21 accidents in 2020–2021; this number increased to 28 in 2021–2022 and continued to rise to 38 accidents in 2022–2023.
Despite routine maintenance, 50% of KTC buses, according to Neto, are outdated.
The company has applied for government funding in order to upgrade its fleet significantly.
“Our mechanics work really hard, but it’s not possible to keep the old buses running for very long. Therefore, we must replace them immediately. We have asked the government to set aside money to enable that,” he said.
The campaign for a fleet upgrade and the crackdown on drunk driving, according to road safety advocates, are essential steps toward enhancing the services and safety of public transportation.
They claimed that considering the startling rise in incidents involving the aging KTC buses, fleet modernization had to become a top priority right away.
