Hawkers at traffic signals pose danger for BMTC drivers

BENGALURU: Drivers of BMTC buses say they encounter a peculiar problem at traffic signals. They hesitate to move the buses when the signal turns green due to hawkers. They feel accidents can happen as the hawkers and beggars suddenly get in the middle at traffic signals and they are unable to spot them on the rearview mirrrors.

In view of this, the BMTC management has decided to write a letter to the centres for the homeless asking them to control hawkers and beggars.

A BMTC bus driver, Raju said the number of deaths due to accidents is increasing in Bengaluru. “The factors may include overspeeding and reckless driving. The BMTC gets a bad name though there is no fault of the drivers when we look through many of such cases. Bus drivers are annoyed by hawkers selling fruits, juice and other items and also beggars. They suddenly appear  in the middle of traffic, between and behind buses, but they are not visible to the driver in the rearview mirrors”, he pointed out.

Raju, a BMTC bus driver, and Prabhakar Reddy, head of operations at BMTC.

Further, he said, “There are chances of accidents while moving the bus. Such cases have resulted in deaths in the past. Therefore, these things should be reduced in the signals; otherwise, the Corporation officials should write to the centres for the homeless, which come under the Social Welfare Department, asking them to shift them”.

BMTC drivers are experiencing such problems at many traffic signals, including Goraguntepalya, Navarang and Majestic. Autorickshaw drivers are also facing similar problems. The cause of the increasing deaths came to light when the officials assessed the cases.

Prabhakar Reddy, head of operations at BMTC, said, “We admit that some accidents happened due to BMTC bus drivers’ reckless driving. Sometimes, bikers were responsible for accidents and in some cases, it may be a pedestrian’s mistake. We should value lives. An extensive training programme has been organised for train drivers. We plan to train 300 drivers every day during working days. We will make arrangements at the depots in all six zones to train them. Priority will be given to those who have faced accident complaints, rash driving, and other issues”.

“There are 12,000 drivers with BMTC and 5,000-6,000 are working as drivers-cum-conductors. We will train them by organising special sessions by senior traffic police officers, senior bus drivers, those who have no single complaint of accident against them, and we will make them understand the effects of accidents by using visuals. We will sensitize them to change the way they drive during the workshop”, he added.