Thiruvananthapuram: Sensing the road ahead looks a bit tough, KSRTC initiates measures to put the vehicles back on track. Seemingly in a last ditch attempt to steady the ship, the corporation has come up with some people friendly instructions issued to the employees to woo back the passengers. 

As part of this, the driver of a KSRTC bus shall be levied a penalty of Rs. 1,000/- if the bus fails to halt at its designated stops and pick up passengers. Similarly, if the passengers aren’t dropped off at the stops they wish to get down at, then the driver will be fined Rs. 500/-   If the ‘offense’ gets repeated, then the quantum of punishment shall be doubled. If complaints continue to flow in, then the employees at fault will be either transferred or suspended from service.

Meanwhile, KSRTC has issued an order giving more powers to its respective unit chiefs to initiate action against employees who trouble the passengers. The development comes at a time when the operations of the district level offices have been suspended.   

Passengers can shoot the ‘violations’ in their mobile phones and submit it along with their complaints. Actions will be taken based upon such evidence. The complaints can be lodged directly or via EMail, Whatsapp or by ringing the control room number. Upon receiving the complaints, fast paced investigations will be conducted. Inspectors have been given special instruction not to trouble the passengers in any manner in connection with the complaints lodged by them.      

Misbehaviour towards passengers will invite a penalty of Rs 500. If the conductor skips or bunks his duty, then the particular employee will be charged Rs 1000. If the bus travels in routes other than the designated routes or skips travelling on the service roads, then it shall again invite a penalty of Rs 1,000. 

A penalty of Rs 500 shall be levied for reckless driving or if the employees fail to provide timely information to passengers who have reserved their seats.

Meanwhile, measures will be taken to counter ‘ticketless’ journeys. And if the conductor fails to issue the ticket owing to rush or other reasons, then a fine proportionate to the total number of passengers in the bus in that particular trip shall be imposed on the conductor. For example, if the conductor fails to issue a ticket to a passenger in a bus in which 30 people are travelling at a time, then it shall invite a hefty fine of Rs 5,000. Similarly, if the ticket is not issued to an individual on a trip with more than 65 passengers, then the fine will be around Rs 1,000.

Fines will be levied for failing to issue half tickets as well. Action will be taken against the conductor after a department level enquiry if he fails to issue a ticket to any of the passengers in a trip with less than 20 passengers.