Kangpokpi OC prevents passengers travelling on bus rooftop
Source: Chronicle News Service
Kangpokpi, November 17 2022:
Considering the risks involved in allowing passengers travelling on bus rooftop and the need to follow traffic rules by bus drivers and handymen, Kangpokpi police station officer-in-charge (OC) inspector Henminthang Kipgen launched crackdown on bus operators on Thursday.
The police officer along with his team stopped buses and other vehicles with passengers on the rooftop at the station's gate on Thursday morning.
The police team asked the passengers to descend and after parading them along with the drivers and assistants warned the passengers not to travel again on rooftops while also cautioning the drivers and handymen not to allow passengers get on the rooftop.
He also made them aware of the frequent road accidents and the risk involved in case of travelling in such manner.
Interestingly most of the buses that allowed passengers on the rooftop had unoccupied seats inside the cabin.
Among the rooftop passengers were school-going children in full uniforms.
The OC also urged the school authorities, bus owners and drivers' association of Kangpokpi and Senapati and parents as well as passengers to avoid traveling on vehicle rooftops considering the risk and to avoid many unwanted road accidents.
Mention may be made here that people traveling on rooftop of buses, including students, has become a common sight along the National Highway 2, which also prompted the OC to crack down on such passengers.
In other states, transport department even suspend license of vehicles that allow passengers to travel on the rooftop, but, unfortunately, no such action has been witnessed on the part of the district transport office to date.
Had such extreme action been initiated by the authorities concerned in the district, people traveling in a risky manner could be avoided, opined one denizen of Kangpokpi town.
Another denizen added "I was always apprehensive of the risky mode of traveling on the part of passengers and students, but, I could not do anything since I am not the authority.
As such it is commendable that OC Kangpokpi took the initiative to stop them".
Many are also in support of the OC's initiative while appealing to the District Transport Officer to take benefiting action against vehicles allowing passengers to travel on the rooftop while also urging school authorities and parents to warn their wards to avoid travelling on rooftop.