Hyderabad: Traffic cops say that in the last three to four months at least five private bus drivers have been caught for drunken driving. On Thursday night, a private bus driver of Vinayaka Travels was caught by cops for drunken driving, making it the sixth case.

In fact private bus operators have been recruiting suspended or terminated RTC drivers endangering the lives of passengers.

The driver named Dhanunjay was nabbed near Lakdikapul by a special squad checking for drunken driving. When Vinayaka Travels owner Kiran Kumar was asked on how they recruit drivers he said normally ‘documents’ are checked and a fitness test is done at the time of recruitment. He also said that drivers caught for drunken driving are dismissed.

This goes for all private bus operators as they are expected to discipline themselves and as there is no other enforcement other than the checks conducted by the traffic police.

“It is a fact that most private operators recruit drivers who have been dismissed by the RTC without doing any background checks on their behaviourial aspects, history of driving or why they have been suspended, dismissed. The RTC is testing their drivers for drunkenness before commencement of the journey and also suspend or dismiss drivers who repeatedly engage in rash driving or have other behavioural problems like aggressive driving. Private operators have been hiring such drivers without checking their past and even when they know of their dangerous driving styles,” said joint transport commissioner T. Raghunath.

“At least five private bus drivers have been caught for drunken driving in the last three to four months. Whenever we nab a drunken driver he is arrested and might be sent to jail. On Thursday night the driver of a bus of Vinayaka Travels was caught driving in an inebriated condition and was sent to court,” said additional CP (traffic) Jitender.

Prosecution of bus owners likely

Traffic cops are now thinking of prosecuting the owners of private bus companies for ‘negligence’ and for endangering the lives of the public if their drivers are found driving in an inebriated condition.

The traffic police is studying the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act to launch prosecution of private bus operators who are endangering the lives of passengers.

As private operators have free play in recruiting their drivers and operating buses without proper verification it is up to passengers to assess whether the bus is safe enough.

“In future we will be prosecuting the owner of the bus too if drivers are caught for drunken driving. It is the responsibility of the employer to check that drivers are not driving in an inebriated condition. It is negligence on their part as they are giving the buses to wrong hands and endangering the lives of passengers,” said additional CP (traffic), Jitender.