KURSEONG, 1 Feb: Roads in the Darjeeling Hills are dangerous for travellers because drivers transporting goods and passengers often do not follow proper safety procedures and ensure that their brakes, transmissions and fog lights are in good working order.
"I am a regular commuter and several times I have seen such acts of negligence like drunk driving, fast driving, loud music and drivers talking on their mobile phones and smoking cigarettes while the vehicles are moving, which can lead to accidents," said Mr Bhusan Chettri. "There are also instances when inexperienced young drivers are hired to drive vehicles."
Passenger Subash Lama said he narrowly escaped disaster recently when the vehicle he was in lost its hand and foot brakes.
"I later learnt that the vehicle was coming from Darjeeling with the help of the hand brake only," Mr Lama said. "If this is not negligence than what do we call it?"
Such negligience makes it risky for families and individuals to travel from one place to another, Mr Lama said. Drivers must take care of their vehicles because many people depend on them. The administration should also enforce the rules, he said.
Jan Mukti Chalak Mahasangh general secretary Subash Pradhan said he had also heard that some drivers are overloading their vehicles and drinking before they drive. "If they are caught by the administration, we will not support such negligent drivers," he said.
Mr Pradhan appealed to all drivers and syndicates to follow the rules laid out in the Motor Vehicles Act. He added: "Even during our non-cooperation movement, we said no one should take advantage of the movement and should not do any illegal work related to transportation."
Kurseong sub-divisional police officer Nima Narbu Bhutia said police are doing what they can to keep the roads safe. "It is very difficult to check the mechanisms of the vehicles, as we are not experts on the matter and it has been looked after by motor vehicles department," Mr Bhutia said. "However, regarding the fog lights and other negligence, we have always been doing our duties and looking into the problem."
"I am a regular commuter and several times I have seen such acts of negligence like drunk driving, fast driving, loud music and drivers talking on their mobile phones and smoking cigarettes while the vehicles are moving, which can lead to accidents," said Mr Bhusan Chettri. "There are also instances when inexperienced young drivers are hired to drive vehicles."
Passenger Subash Lama said he narrowly escaped disaster recently when the vehicle he was in lost its hand and foot brakes.
"I later learnt that the vehicle was coming from Darjeeling with the help of the hand brake only," Mr Lama said. "If this is not negligence than what do we call it?"
Such negligience makes it risky for families and individuals to travel from one place to another, Mr Lama said. Drivers must take care of their vehicles because many people depend on them. The administration should also enforce the rules, he said.
Jan Mukti Chalak Mahasangh general secretary Subash Pradhan said he had also heard that some drivers are overloading their vehicles and drinking before they drive. "If they are caught by the administration, we will not support such negligent drivers," he said.
Mr Pradhan appealed to all drivers and syndicates to follow the rules laid out in the Motor Vehicles Act. He added: "Even during our non-cooperation movement, we said no one should take advantage of the movement and should not do any illegal work related to transportation."
Kurseong sub-divisional police officer Nima Narbu Bhutia said police are doing what they can to keep the roads safe. "It is very difficult to check the mechanisms of the vehicles, as we are not experts on the matter and it has been looked after by motor vehicles department," Mr Bhutia said. "However, regarding the fog lights and other negligence, we have always been doing our duties and looking into the problem."
SNS
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