Pvt bus associations urged to replace ‘commission pay’ with ‘regular salaries’

Kolkata: State Transport minister Snehasish Chakraborty and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, on Thursday, urged private bus associations to replace the commission-based pay for drivers and conductors with a salary system.

This change aims to curb reckless driving in pursuit of passengers and reduce competition among buses on the same routes. They also said that from now on in case of any fatal accident, a murder case will be registered against the offending driver.

A high-level meeting was conducted at the Nagarayan Bhavan in Salt Lake, where the minister, Mayor along with Director General (DG) of the state police, Rajeev Kumar, Commissioner of Police (CP), Kolkata, Manoj Kumar Verma and other senior IPS officers were present.

Representatives from bus associations and other government officials were also present. After the meeting, Chakraborty said that the bus associations have been suggested to abolish the commission system for providing remuneration to the drivers and conductors as it instigates them to compete and overtake other buses enroute to get more passengers.

Instead of the commission system, the associations have been asked to introduce a fixed salary system so that the trend of reckless driving for more passengers stops.

The Transport minister also informed that the state government from now on will register a murder case against the drivers in case any fatal accident takes place.

“Government will take stringent action against the drivers in case of any accident, including the fatal ones.

In case of any fatal accident, a murder case will be registered,” he said.

The Mayor announced that a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for drivers will be introduced, along with measures like GPS installation, transport monitoring and other technological upgrades.

The DG will do the needful for implementation. Hakim also suggested that Safe Drive Save Life (SDSL) be introduced at the school level to educate the students about traffic regulations.

“I have suggested changing school timings, as multiple schools in some areas end at the same time, increasing the risk of accidents and traffic congestion. Staggering the school dismissal times could help reduce these issues. We need to discuss this with the schools and make a request,” Hakim said.

While the state government emphasised strict action, private bus owners’ associations argued that improving infrastructure is the key to reducing accidents.

They also suggest that, besides prosecuting drivers, they should be made to work with traffic police to better understand road conditions and increase awareness.