Kozhikode (Kerala) | Kerala Transport Minister C P John on Monday said that the post crash enquiry regarding the KSRTC bus accident in Karnataka, in which a driver and conductor were killed, found no problems with the vehicle or the working hours of the two employees.
John told reporters here that the bus was found to be in 'fit' condition and was not old and the driver, Midilesh K (31) was a competent driver with experience of driving long distance routes and no adverse complaints against him.
The minister further said that the report also did not find any irregularities in the sign off and sign on gap period which needs to be eight hours as per the rules.
"So, it is not known what happened. He (driver) is also a human being. He may have felt sleepy or tired at that moment," John said, and condoled the death of the two Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) staff in the accident.
He said that as the conductor, Arun N M (53), was a permanent employee, there are provisions to give his family a compensation of around Rs one crore and steps are being taken for that.
However, as the driver was a contractual employee, his family can be given a compensation of only Rs 10 lakh.
"We have held discussions with SBI with regard to enhancing the compensation to the driver's family and a decision will be arrived at by evening or Tuesday morning," the minister said.
He said that the government was considering providing appropriate compensation to the driver's family.
The government was considering framing a policy to provide a temporary job to the next of kin of contractual employees who die while on duty, he added.
He said that three persons who were injured in the tragic incident are presently under treatment.
Arun and Midilesh, who were deployed at KSRTC's Kozhikode depot, died in the accident at Bidadi on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway on Saturday morning.
Fourteen passengers were injured in the accident.
