By Mahi Jain
The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) announced today that the bus drivers who use a mobile phone during work hours would be suspended forthwith. This is a new step in administration as the transport body works towards ensuring greater safety to commuters.
The action is taken after continuous complaints from commuters about drivers talking or listening to calls or surfing their phones when on the road, creating serious safety issues. The authorities added that the drastic step is part of a bigger move to institute discipline and accountability in the city’s public transport system, which thousands of commuters utilize daily.
According to the directive, drivers are now required to leave their mobile devices with the conductors at the start of a shift and will get them back only after the work has been completed. To make sure this directive is followed, depot managers have been told to personally supervise the entire procedure and apply the ruling to every depot, even for the hired drivers, with the rule that a breach of any part of it will result in instant suspension.
PMPML officials added that such negligent behavior will no longer be permitted. Drivers will have to devote singular focus to the road, especially since traffic on Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad roads has increased in volume. “A slip can risk dozens of lives. Drivers need to know that accepting mobile phone calls on duty would not be accepted,” a top PMPML official said.
Safety of passengers has long remained a matter of concern for PMPML, with rash driving going unchecked, jumping of signals and disobeying traffic rules being a routine affair. While the corporation has also been suffering from issues such as dilapidated buses, technical snags, and lack of drivers, officials feel instituting discipline among currently employed personnel is a key step to align services and public faith.
The transport body has already sent circulars reminding drivers of the effects of phone use. The new directive also clearly mentions that suspension would be the immediate response, whether the incident has been reported by inspectors, CCTV monitoring, or passenger complaints. Under this zero-tolerance initiative, the transport body will become an example and ensure safer travel within the city.