Somethings an Ahmedabad Expat must endure...

SEEING RED

WHEELS OF DEATH

AMTS buses have turned killers on city roads as rash drivers continue their deadly run

Parth Shastri & Kumar Manish | TNN

Ahmedabad: On Sunday morning, driver of an Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) bus lost control in Ghatlodia when its front wheel came off and rolled into a house. Rajeev Shah of Chandralok society, in whose house the wheel barged in breaking the gate, refused to give the wheel back to the AMTS till the police intervened. This is one of the very tame encounters of the public with AMTS. The same evening a motorcyclist was hit by an AMTS bus whose brakes failed on Subhash Bridge. Fortunately, the biker escaped unscathed.
Over the last month, AMTS buses have turned into monsters on city roads, killing two persons in four accidents. The drivers of these buses have for long been accused of speeding, overtaking and breaking traffic rules with impunity. Bob Massa, an American working for a US-based company in the city, had a harrowing experience with an AMTS bus.
Massa recounts, “Recently, I was literally run over by an AMTS bus near Bopal. I was driving a two-wheeler with a kid pillion riding with me. The driver was driving rashly without any concern for fellow commuters on roads.”
“The bus knocked me down and I suffered ankle, knee and shoulder injuries. It was strange to see the driver speed off even though I had fallen from the vehicle. It was a narrow escape for me,” he said. Even traffic experts opined there is a dire need for corrective measures in running of AMTS buses. Member of Ahmedabad Traffic Consultative Committee (ATCC) Amit Khatri said, “Just like Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) drivers, the AMTS drivers should be trained properly while plying their buses on the roads. This can result in prevention of unnecessary traffic jams and accidents.”
Traffic police personnel deployed at various traffic junctions on city roads are also having a tough time controlling the callous drivers. Sub-inspector of traffic police KV Rathod said, “AMTS buses have created a ruckus on a number of occasions. On important junctions like Dilli Darwaza and Shahibaug that lead to the airport, even if a bus gets stuck, it can lead to traffic jams up to 15 minutes."
“The new AMTS bus drivers are sometimes caught driving rashly. Not many break traffic rules but it does not mean that they are good drivers,”
added Rathod. On the spate of road accidents involving AMTS buses, deputy municipal commissioner, AMTS, MS Patel said, “The recent cases of privately-operated buses under AMTS involved in road mishaps in the city is worrying. We have asked the authorities concerned to look into the matter. AMTS is also carrying out a modernization plan where these issues will be dealt with."
A senior AMTS official said, “One of the major concerns for us is getting qualified drivers for buses. AMTS authorities have been training drivers on proper driving skills, good behaviour with passengers and road discipline.”
FATAL ACCIDENTS INVOLVING AMTS
July 24: Chhoturam Rajput, 21, a resident of Meghaninagar, was boarding a bus near Chandkheda Crossroads when it started off suddenly. Rajput fell down and came under the wheels. He was taken to Civil Hospital where he died.
July 28: Pratik Dudhela, 22, a resident of Naranpura, was passing by Gulab Tower at 1pm when an AMTS bus came from behind and rammed his bike. He sustained severe head injuries and rushed to VS Hospital where he died after primary treatment.
August 8: Abhishek Goswami, 19, a resident of Subhashnagar, was pedalling through Kotarpur water works when an AMTS bus on came from a diagonal direction and ran him over. He died on the spot.
August17: Geeta Patel, 40, a resident of Chandkheda was trying to board a bus bound for Chandkheda near RTO circle when she felt a shove and fell on the road as the bus started moving. Her legs got crushed. She was taken to Civil Hospital where she succumbed after two hours.

CRUSHING REALITY

An accident on Ellisbridge