Bus conductor, owner penalised

KOCHI: A freak misunderstanding led to the conductor and owner of a private service bus being fined. The incident occurred during the morning trip of a bus that was operating from Kumbalam. The conductor of the bus accused K.A. Sini, Confidential Assistant to the Additional District Magistrate, of travelling in the bus without taking ticket on Tuesday when she boarded the bus on Wednesday.

Ms. Sini said that she did not travel in the bus on Tuesday, and lodged a complaint to the Regional Transport Officer for harassing her in public. When summoned to explain their side, the bus employees admitted that it was a case of mistaken identity, and tendered public apology.

But since the conductor did not have a valid licence, a fine of Rs.1,000 was imposed on him and the owner of the bus. The action came as part of the current drive by RTO to ensure that bus employees behave properly with the public, sources said.

Strict actions are initiated against those found misbehaving with public and driving licences of 149 persons have been suspended so far, said C.G. Michael and P.V. Varghese, RTOs of Ernakulam and Muvattupuzha. Mr. Michael and Mr. Varghese were addressing the media to explain the administrative changes being brought in the Motor Vehicles Department during the last four years of LDF government