Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy warns of strict action, says senior officials, not drivers, will now be held accountable for technical failures in Karnataka’s transport corporations
Bengaluru – In a powerful emotional address, Karnataka’s Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy declared “Enough is enough” as he broke his silence on the growing number of accidents across all state-run transport corporations, demanding accountability from top officials and promising firm action.
Speaking during an official event where appointment orders were issued for 2,286 BMTC operators on Monday, the Minister shifted focus to a rising and disturbing pattern of fatal accidents in government-run transport services.
“When we look at the number of road accidents at the international level, India ranks first. It is very worrying that the highest number of accidents and deaths are being recorded in our country,” said Reddy.
He made it clear that no technical reason or human error can justify the pain of losing lives in these tragedies.
“Can the precious lives lost in the accident be brought back? Is there an alternative to the pain experienced by their dependents?”
Sharing a recent and painful instance, he added:
“When we gave Rs. 25 lakh compensation to a driver who lost his leg in an accident 15 days ago, I understood only one thing — no financial facility can bring back that driver’s previous happy life.”
The Minister called for more patience and responsibility from drivers, urging operators to counsel their staff and prioritize safety. However, his strongest criticism was reserved for the internal technical and supervisory departments of the transport corporations.
“In some cases, bus accidents may be due to the conditions or technical defects of the buses. We must examine the negligence of the technical department officials and the supervisory staff,” he said sternly.
He then made a game-changing declaration:
“From now on, instead of the driving staff, the technical department officials, divisional controllers and the concerned unit managers will be held responsible for technical problems.”
Reddy lamented what he described as a “loss of fear and sensitivity” in the system regarding public safety and fatal accidents.
“The reason I am responding so sharply about this is that there has been a lack of fear and sensitivity towards accidents in recent times.”
“The driving staff should not feel that they are one in a hundred accidents. That mindset is horrifying,” he said.
The Minister concluded his address with a strong call to action, stating that accidents may be beyond control at times, but preventive measures are well within reach.
“From now on, there is no other way but to thoroughly investigate the accidents and take strict action against the guilty. Sometimes, strict measures must be taken in the interest of passenger safety,” he said.
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