KSRTC accident: Driver got 16-hour gap, says Minister CP John, denies rule violation

Kozhikode: Transport Minister CP John on Monday dismissed reports of a violation in duty allocation contributing to the recent Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus accident on the Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway, stating that the driver was assigned duty only after a 16-hour gap from his previous duty.

Speaking to the media in Kozhikode, the minister said a post-accident inquiry conducted by KSRTC found the bus was in good mechanical condition and that the driver, Midhilesh, had a good service record. He also ruled out allegations that the driver had been continuously assigned night-driving duties.

According to the minister, KSRTC regulations require a minimum gap of eight hours between two successive duties. In the case of Midhilesh, there was a 16-hour interval between his previous duty and the duty on the day of the accident.

“I directly inspected the duty details of the driver. He signed on for the duty of the bus involved in the accident only after a gap of 16 hours. Therefore, there was no violation of the existing duty-allocation rules,” John said.

The minister said the claim that the driver had been assigned continuous night duties was baseless. He added that the investigation had not found any major issue with the condition of the bus or any adverse record concerning the driver. At the same time, the minister added that the driver might have dozed off while driving, noting that such an incident could happen to anyone.

The accident occurred on Saturday morning when the KSRTC super deluxe bus travelling from Kozhikode to Bengaluru overturned on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway near Bidadi. The accident claimed the lives of bus driver Midhilesh and conductor NM Arun.

John said KSRTC had initiated steps to provide financial assistance to the families of both the employees. He said the corporation could provide compensation of up to ₹1 crore to the family of the conductor, in accordance with the applicable rules, and that the process for sanctioning the compensation had already begun.

However, since Midhilesh was employed as a temporary staff member, the existing rules provide for compensation of only ₹10 lakh in the event of his death, the minister said.

“We are trying to increase the compensation amount for the driver’s family as well. A final decision in this regard will be taken by Monday evening,” John said.

The minister also announced that KSRTC was considering changes to its existing policy on compassionate appointments. At present, appointments under the dying-in-harness scheme are available only to the families of permanent employees who die while in service. John said the corporation was examining the possibility of extending similar benefits to families of temporary employees who die while on duty.