Bus accident and negligence of RTO Pondichrry

From:
1) The President,
Physically Handicapped Youth Association,
Regd No.96/1999,
152/A, Patcha Muthu Mari Amman Koil Street,
Kumaragurupallam, Puducherry – 605011.

2) The Secretary,
Auto Drivers’ Association,
Puducherry 605 013.

To
1) Mr.V.Narayanasamy, 2)The R.T O
Member Of Parliament,
The Office of the Transport Commissioner,
Puducherry. Puducherry

Dear Sir,
Sub: Issue of Licence to Long Distance Omnibus and neglecting train services.

On 28/02/2011, we had submitted a petition challenging your controversial statement regarding train services in vernacular paper and English newspaper.

You acknowledged our letter under the cover Dy.No.673/VIP/MO&(PP)/11 Dated 16/03/2011. But you have chosen not to answer any of our points raised in our letter.

In the meantime, the Omnibus which was registered in Pondicherry by KPN Travels, PY-01 BH 9919 met with an accident at Avalur near Vellore on Tuesday night -- 07/06/2011. The omnibus clearly flouted the norms. There was no emergency exit, as a result all the 23 passengers were trapped and killed. As per the newspaper report-Deccan Chronicle-under the caption “Sleeper buses against rule book” dated 11-06-2011, the police officials at Tamil Nadu lamented that these types of buses were registered in Pondicherry as the rules throwing safety norms were bent in the favour of bus operators.

The major part of the blame lies with the Transport department, Pondicherry. They should compensate all the 23 victims. This is akin to“Uphaar” Cinema theatre fire tragedy in New Delhi – year 1998 wherein the management, fire department and electricity department personnel were all sentenced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court.

This attitude of the Pondicherry ministers and transport department is just another form of corruption. The authorities have the least regard for human lives. By encouraging omnibuses, the previous Congress party at the state enriched its coffers and sent “excess” fund to Delhi counter parts. The Congress is interested only in promoting dynastic rule. The transport department in Pondicherry rules with an iron hand with local motorists and vehicle owners in Pondicherry. But with long distance omnibuses, they bend the rules and line up their pockets.

We are mobilising public opinion against this corruption. We are also contacting the kith and kin of passengers, who were killed in the road accident on Tuesday night, to file a court case against the RTO, Pondicherry for negligence. Why should Tamil Nadu Government compensate the victims when the RTO Puducherry is clearly at fault?


The errant officials of the transport are playing with the lives of the innocent people. Apart from loss of life, many passengers are rendered disabled. This could be avoided. The existing disabled persons have no hope and faith in the government. Why add more to the list due to callousness of the transport authorities. Even after 16 years, you and your party are unable to draft rules and regulations under the ‘Disability Act 1995’. Rather, you have failed to empower us.

The Congress party is not bothered about the Unorganised Sector and Physically Handicapped persons. We are also mobilising opinions in Facebook so that the common people are made aware about the happenings in Pondicherry.

You have clearly failed to address any of our problems – Unorganised Sector and Physically Handicapped in the Parliament. We are ashamed to have you as a Member Of Parliament. Nevertheless, we request you to produce the question no,, the date and also the answer , if any, raised in the Parliament on our behalf – P/H and Unorganized Sector.

The train service connecting Pondicherry to all states in India is only a distant dream. By threatening to run train services, you collect bribe money from the private omnibus operators.

To top it all, we have a tainted Governor who does not attend the Disability Day function on 3RD Dec. The Congress, its allies the D.M.K and P.M.K are comrade in arms as far as corruption is concerned. Certain commercial interest in Sri Lanka by the party members of the D.M.K prevented them from condemning the Sri Lanka’s military action against our Tamil brothers and sisters. The P.M.K on its part closed all public sector lifesaving drug units. As a result, all essential lifesaving drugs has/had to be imported at a heavy cost. Many lives were/are lost during swine flu, snake bite; dog bites etc. as lower class of people are/were unable to purchase lifesaving drugs.

No progress was made under the regime of Congress and its allies. Clamouring for funds at the centre is definitely not a big deal. You as an M.P need not boast about it . Economic growth and activity is vital for any state. Going about a begging bowl to the Centre does not augur well with the self - respect of Puducherrians.

Any way we have written off your party and its allies as incorrigibles. Price rise, high cost of living has made life miserable. You are unnecessarily incurring the wrath of the P/H persons as well as the Unorganized sector. Auto drivers have solely to depend on school trips for livelihood. Regular trains will usher a steady flow of tourist traffic. Further, C.N.G available at Karaikal is flared and wasted. Profitable use of C.N.G can reduce transport cost. There is no pragmatic and creative thinking amongst our elected leaders due to corruption.
Yours truly,