Following the death of 19 persons in a bus accident, the Odisha government on Monday made speed governors mandatory for all passenger buses in the state.
Holding a meeting of the bus owners, Transport Commissioner Chandra Sekhar Kumar asked them to equip their buses with the speed governors by October 31 this year.
He said the initiative will curb rash and reckless driving by the bus drivers.
The enforcement squad will be strengthened to keep a strict check on the drivers for careless and drunk driving.
The transport authority has set up a Toll Free Helpline -- 18003451073 -- for the passengers for lodging complaints against erring drivers and reckless driving, said Kumar.
The drivers would not be allowed to use mobile phones while driving. The phones of the drivers will be in the custody of the bus conductors.
At least 19 persons were killed and over 30 injured when a speeding bus fell 50 feet from a bridge in Angul district on Friday. As per the preliminary report, overloading and reckless driving caused the bus accident.
--IANS
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