Kollam: The Motor Vehicle Department has begun taking strict action against the speeding private buses that have been causing chaos on the road by blatantly violating the traffic rules. The joint operation led by the excise department and the MVD revealed hundreds of instances of traffic rule violations.

Action has been taken against drivers and conductors who do not have licence. Malayala Manorama had reported about the rising number of road accidents caused by the speeding private buses.

Permits of the buses that did not possess fitness certificates were cancelled. The officials had inspected 64 private buses in the town yesterday. The inspection was conducted at Chinnakada bus bay and Clock Tower at around 4 pm yesterday. The permits of two private buses that operated without fitness certificates were cancelled.

Meanwhile, strict action would be taken against a driver and 11 conductors who didn’t have licence and five employees who didn’t wear uniform. The officials took action against three buses that ran services by ignoring the speed limit norms. Besides, air horns installed on six buses were seized.

Meanwhile, the officers also found packets of banned tobacco products and empty alcohol bottles in the bus, possibly used by the drivers or other employees. The excise conducted inspections to see whether private bus employees were using drugs or other intoxicating items. The team comprised of Kollam RTO A K Dilu, MVIs Abhilash, Sharath, Jiji Aloysius, excise SI C Dileep and preventive officer Manu.