Private bus operators call off stir

Private bus operators in Kerala, who had begun an indefinite strike from midnight last night, called off their stir today after the government called them for talks on Wednesday.
Bus owners association members said Transport Minister Aryadan Mohammed had agreed to hold talks with representatives of the association on September 11.
The owners called the indefinite strike to protest the Motor Vehicle Department's decision to strictly implement the norm that all buses should have speed governors following recurring accidents due to over speeding, including the September 6 road mishap at Malappuram that claimed 13 lives.
'Fitness' certificates of 441 buses, which had not fixed speed governors, were cancelled in the last two days during intensive checking by department officials.

Office-goers and travellers had a harrowing time in the peak morning hours today following the strike. KSRTC buses operated additional services in cities which provided some relief to passengers.
Kerala's commercial capital Kochi was badly hit with some 1,500 private buses keeping off the roads.