Interstate luxury buses carry transport goods under the nose of authorities

Goemakrponn desk
CANACONA: Interstate ultra luxury buses meant to transport commuters have invented a novel way to multiply their profits and are transporting commercial goods by modifying the vehicle by making huge space under the carriage and on the top of the buses, this is happening under the very nose of the authorities posted at the borders of Goa, locals complain of a catastrophe if this practice continues.
Interstate bus operators plying their buses between Bangalore and Mumbai to Goa are found carrying transport goods in the undercarriage and over carriage of their vehicles, creating a dangerous situation for the passengers and others en route, especially at the treacherous Ghat sections on NH66 all along the route.
Some transport companies operating ultra-modern luxury bus travel services and operating daily buses from Bangalore and Mumbai to Goa amongst other routes have come up with an innovative but deadly idea and are accused of carrying transport goods to increase their profits, in turn exposing the passengers and other commuters en route their way.
These ultra-modern buses have been in the news earlier for different reasons like speeding and rash driving, resulting in accidents.
Of late, they have invented a novel method to fatten their pockets, complained concerned citizens. Some luxury and semi-luxury buses have made some of their buses passengers cum transport goods carriers they informed.
The police that otherwise stops and penalises other motor vehicle drivers for the slightest violation are turning a blind eye, and locals feel that they are greasing the palms of these law enforcement agencies, it was informed.
While complaining about this illegal activity, Diogo Da’ Silva, a social worker from Canacona, said that goods are being carried from Bangalore to Goa by these buses loaded in the under and over carriages endangering the lives of not only the travellers but of the traffic all along the route.
He questioned how the RTO, which has an office in Polem, can allow these buses to operate this trade under their nose.
Da’ Silva further added that on earlier occasions, there were complaints on this operator for rash driving, overtaking on blind curves, causing accidents at a few places in Canacona. Now they have gone a step further. Some buses are loaded with around 200 parcels on top of the buses and about equal number also in the undercarriage affecting the overall stability of the bus which can be the reason for accidents he stated. The ability of the automobile to negotiate turns depends on the centre of gravity, and a high centre of gravity makes the vehicles less stable on sharp turns. Loading on top of the bus raises the centre of gravity, thus negatively affecting the ability to smoothly negotiate the curves, said an automobile engineer from the taluka; he also stated that the authorities have to stop this illegal transportation of goods.
Enquiries on how the RTO office allows these to happen, an officer posted at the Polem checkpoint informed that these bus drivers were penalised earlier.
When this correspondent spoke with a representative of one such interstate bus operator, whose buses bring vast quantities of transport goods daily and when questioned about this illegal way of transportation of goods under and over the carriage of bus due to which the bus loses the stability, endangering the life of the travellers in the bus and along the route, a staff of the carrier agreed that they are in fact carrying commercial goods and also decided that this is in violations of the existing laws, “but we take care while bringing such goods” she added.
Many concerned citizens of Canacona speaking to this correspondent said that this transportation activity of commercial goods has to be stopped to avoid any untoward incident in the future.