Drivers dodging bus partition rule

KOCHI: Rules are meant to be broken — this axiom seems to be the motto of private buses in the city. The rule to partition the driver’s cabin, which was passed long time ago, could be an effective panacea to prevent mishaps. But unfortunately this system is not being implemented effectively.The utility of bus partition, intended to create a distance between the driver and the rest of the passengers to avoid distraction, is currently in limbo.Most of the private buses do not have an effective cabin partition. According to the Kerala Motor Vehicle Act, the partition should be a grilled metre-high platform that separates the driver’s section.The grills used for the partition should consist of columns measuring 20 x 20 cm.  This measurement would restrict any sort of accessibility to the driver’s section. “Though others are restricted from entering the section, it would not isolate the driver from rest of the passengers,” said N N Prabhakaran, (retd) Deputy Transport Commissioner.Deputy Transport Commissioner P A Sainuddin said, “Two wheelers usually have a tendency to overtake along the left side. If passengers are allowed to occupy the seat adjacent to the driver, there is a high possibility for the rear mirror view to get obstructed.”He said, “We perform fitness check for the buses every year. Bus operators usually escape by attaching a makeshift cabin partition which they usually remove after the checks. So we have a hard time finding the lawbreakers.” “We can charge ` 3,000 for this offense in the name of unauthorised alteration. But the Motor Vehicle Law is included in a minor Act. As it does not come under the purview of a major Act, the punishment also lacks intensity, that gives the operators ample opportunities to commit this offense frequently,” Prabhkaran said.He added that passengers also sneak into the driver’s cabin, though they were aware of its implication.