Permits of goods vehicles used for illegal passenger transport to be permanently cancelled : Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik

Strict action will also be taken against negligent officials !

Mumbai, June 25 : To curb illegal passenger transport on Maharashtra’s roads and prevent fatal accidents claiming the lives of innocent citizens, the government has directed that the permits of goods vehicles (such as trucks and tempos) being used illegally to transport passengers be permanently cancelled, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik informed the Legislative Council on June 25.

The statement came while replying to a Calling Attention Motion moved by MLA Sunil Shinde. Dr Neelam Gorhe and Adv Niranjan Davkhare also participated in the discussion.

During the debate, Dr Neelam Gorhe pointed out that illegal passenger transport is rampant in rural areas because of the inadequate number of State Transport (ST) buses. She said increasing the number of ST buses would help curb the menace.

Illegal passenger transport is the primary cause of fatal accidents !

Transport Minister Sarnaik said that in two recent major accidents, 13 and 11 people respectively lost their lives. Investigations revealed that illegal passenger transport was the primary cause in both cases. Criminal cases have been registered not only against the drivers but also against the owners of the vehicles concerned, and the permits of those goods vehicles have been cancelled.

The government has also announced financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each for the families of the deceased. The compensation will be disbursed after completion of the necessary legal formalities.

Government’s efforts to strengthen public transport

Keeping in view the State’s growing population and the shortage of public transport, 8,300 new buses have been procured for the State Transport (ST) Corporation.

For the present, directions have been issued to operate ST buses every hour on accident-prone and high-demand routes. Over the next two to three months, the government plans to increase the frequency to one bus every 30 minutes.

To improve transport services in rural and remote areas, 100 mini buses have been added to the ST Corporation’s fleet. The State Government will also soon announce its new Aggregator Policy, under which smaller vehicles will be brought within a legal framework and permitted to provide passenger transport services.

Negligent officials will face strict action !

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said that if officials of the Regional Transport Office (RTO) or the Police Department are found to have wilfully neglected their duties while taking action against illegal passenger transport, stringent administrative action will also be taken against them.

He further informed the House that the government is considering an innovative scheme to make ST buses available to farming families in rural areas at nominal charges for weddings and other auspicious family occasions.