KOLKATA: The drive against retreaded tyres and manipulated fitness certificates of buses and minibuses in the past seven days showed the biggest violators were buses to and from Howrah, all of them touching the city centre – Esplanade, BBD Bag and Sealdah -revealed Lalbazar on Saturday.
At the very Mayo Road-Dufferin Road crossing in Esplanade, where a minibus had keeled over a week ago, killing two persons, police registered 124 cases of buses failing to produce valid fitness certificate or using retreaded tyres. It includes cases at the Park St-JL Nehru Rd crossing.
Joint CP (traffic) Rupesh Kumar said 617 buses and minibuses had been booked between April 1 and 7, each fined Rs 5,000-Rs 10,000. Of those, 585 buses had retreaded tyres and 32 did not have proper CFs. From Dufferin-Mayo Road, 112 cases of retreading tyres were reported. “Long-distance buses were hardly booked. Most violations were among 70% buses to Esplanade and then, Howrah, which came to around 70%,” claimed an officer.
“A retreaded tyre means failing the fitness test. Yet, most have the certificate. It means buses hired parts, like tyre, for the test,” said an officer. Swapan Ghosh of Minibus Operators’ Coordination Committee conceded buses from Howrah stands had maintenance issues. “Most were bought in 2009-10 and faced scrapping next year as they will attain 15 years. Most owners are not interested in investing much.”
At the very Mayo Road-Dufferin Road crossing in Esplanade, where a minibus had keeled over a week ago, killing two persons, police registered 124 cases of buses failing to produce valid fitness certificate or using retreaded tyres. It includes cases at the Park St-JL Nehru Rd crossing.
Joint CP (traffic) Rupesh Kumar said 617 buses and minibuses had been booked between April 1 and 7, each fined Rs 5,000-Rs 10,000. Of those, 585 buses had retreaded tyres and 32 did not have proper CFs. From Dufferin-Mayo Road, 112 cases of retreading tyres were reported. “Long-distance buses were hardly booked. Most violations were among 70% buses to Esplanade and then, Howrah, which came to around 70%,” claimed an officer.
“A retreaded tyre means failing the fitness test. Yet, most have the certificate. It means buses hired parts, like tyre, for the test,” said an officer. Swapan Ghosh of Minibus Operators’ Coordination Committee conceded buses from Howrah stands had maintenance issues. “Most were bought in 2009-10 and faced scrapping next year as they will attain 15 years. Most owners are not interested in investing much.”
