Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 3: Drivers and conductors of commercial vehicles in the State are not adhering to State Government’s directive to wear uniform while carrying out their professional duties. No action whatsoever has been taken against them so far and they run away with impunity.
Transport Commissioner, Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo issued two public notices in December 2012 and January 2013 asking the commercial drivers and conductors to wear uniform while carrying out their job in both the rural and urban areas of the State. However, the orders have not been followed in letter and spirit.
Under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (Section 177), it is mandatory for drivers and conductors of commercial vehicles to wear uniform while they are carrying out their professional obligations. Formerly the drivers and conductors of commercial vehicles were asked to wear Khaki Shirts and Trousers while discharging their professional duties. The Transport Department has added Navy Blue Shirts and Trousers also as a uniform to the drivers and conductors.
Sources in the Transport Department said that the main purpose for invoking dress code for drivers and conductors is to establish a separate identity of drivers and conductors in case of accidents and in cases of harassment or misbehavior with the passengers.
However, people are unhappy over the implementation part of the public notices and say that these are not being followed by the drivers and conductors either of the long distance buses or matadors of Tata 407 make. They allege under a nexus between the Traffic Police Department and the drivers as well as conductors traffic rules are not being implemented in the State.
Accepting that Traffic Police Department has an important role in the implementation of traffic rules and regulations, Inspector General of Police (Traffic), Munir Khan told Excelsior that the department is taking the issues one by one according to the priority. The IGP said that the issue of the uniform would also be taken up by the department.
“Issues like reservation for women in the public transport and overloading have already been taken up by the department in the State. There is no denying the fact that we have an important role in ensuring that drivers and conductors adhere to the dress code. I assure that this too would be taken up by the department very soon,” said the IGP.
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