Officer suspended in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district for nod to increase seats in ill-fated bus

LUCKNOW: A divisional inspector of the transport department, Champalal, was suspended for negligence following a probe into the Barabanki bus accident, which claimed 18 lives early Wednesday.
A joint probe by the regional transport office and police nailed divisional inspector (technical) Champalal for giving clearance to alteration in the bus capacity and increasing seats from 55 to 86 in gross violation of rules and guidelines.
A senior official privy to the probe said the bus which met with the accident had been registered in 2014 with seating capacity of 55 passengers. However, the accused divisional inspector (technical) Champalal, then posted in Rampur, allowed an increase in seating capacity making it 86, which was against rules.
The consideration of alteration to increase the capacity of the bus shows that the inspector gave the clearance without conducting a check and examining the bus.
Meanwhile, transport commissioner, Dheeraj Sahu also issued guidelines to police to avert such road accidents in future. He said permits of all AC buses which have been challaned for more than five times must be seized.
He also said that interceptors must be used to check speeding and drunken driving and time-bound disposal of vehicles lying in police stations be made in coordination with the police department.
The transport commissioner also said that National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) must ensure that patrol vehicles, ambulances, and recovery vans must be operational at least in 40 km range of toll plazas.
Barabanki Police, meanwhile, said efforts were being made to nab the drivers and owners of the bus and the truck involved in the accident.