10 April 2005	Sunday	30 Safar 1426

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LAHORE, April 9: More than 17 people have died in accidents in the city involving franchized buses during the past two years mainly because of reckless driving.

More than half of the fatal accidents have been caused by the New Khan Metro buses alone, which are reported to have killed over a dozen people since the launching of their operation over two years ago. Premier buses are involved in three fatal accidents while Baloch’s in one. Those who lost lives in the accidents were pedestrians and motorcyclists.

The accidents have taken place because the buses are being driven no better than the wagons and pose far greater threat to pedestrians and motorcyclists on account of their size. The buses are not only seen racing on the roads, but they also pick and drop the passengers at places other than the bus stops, disturbing the flow of the traffic.

Buses are also seen running with open doors in violation of traffic rules.

The buses also met with accidents on account of mechanical defects like the opening of tie-rod of a New Khan Bus on the Jail Road the other day. Mechanical defects develop in the buses because of a lack of regular maintenance. Most of the franchize bus companies have not established their workshops and their buses can break down at any place because these leave the depots without proper check-up.

The government had decided to replace wagons with franchised buses not only because of growing complaints of rash driving and flagrant violations of traffic rules, but also for reducing congestion on the roads. Buses were considered a better alternative for reducing traffic congestion because every bus could replace five wagons on account of being spacious. Bus drivers were also expected to be cautious in committing traffic violations and overspeeding for the same fact.

DCO Khalid Sultan, who is the chairman of the District Regional Transport Authority, has been asking the franchize bus operators to pay special attention to the recruitment of drivers and get the licences of drivers on their payroll verified, but the companies turn a deaf ear to his advice and pose a threat to the lives of pedestrians and motorcyclists by engaging semi-skilled drivers who are not conversant with driving on the congested urban routes.