News
‘Sachin death pass’ was habitual offender
View(s):No permit for inter-provincial travel; driver arrested; owner gets off; corruption galore
By Sandun Jayawardana
Eleven passengers lost their lives and more than 40 others were injured in the accident, which occurred on the evening of July 9. The bus, “Sachin Express,” had been plying from Kaduruwela in Polonnaruwa to Kattankudy in Batticaloa when it veered off the road, crashed through the barrier on Kotaleeya Bridge and plunged into the river below. While area residents and security forces personnel rescued many of those trapped inside the bus, 11 passengers could not be saved. Among the dead were two undergraduates of the Eastern University.
The scene of the Manampitiya accident (above and right). Pix by J.A.Jayakodi
The bus was carrying about 60 passengers at the time of the incident. Its driver was subsequently arrested by police and remanded until July 24 after being produced before the Polonnaruwa Magistrate. Police say he had been driving recklessly and at high speed at the time of the incident.
In the days following the deadly accident, it has come to light that the bus did not have a permit to travel between provinces. Only the National Transport Commission (NTC), which comes under the central government, has the authority to issue permits for buses engaged in inter-provincial passenger transport. But the “Sachin Express” only had a permit issued by the Eastern Province Road Passenger Transport Authority to engage in passenger transport within the province. At the time it met with the accident, however, the bus was travelling in the North-Central Province in violation of the law.
The same bus had been caught while travelling between provinces in 2019, and the owner was fined Rs. 10, 000 by a court. Yet the illegal practice continued.
Addressing the media after the incident, Transport and Highways Minister Bandula Gunawardana said a draft amendment to the NTC Act increasing the fine for buses operating illegally between provinces from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 500,000 was already with the Attorney General. The problem of private buses illegally operating across provinces is especially prevalent in the Northern, Eastern and North Central Provinces, Minister Gunawardana told the Sunday Times. He said the buses were allowed to operate in violation of the law due to corruption at the provincial level.
“I have received information that packages containing bribe money are being tossed out of such buses at designated spots to be picked up. I have issued instructions to the NTC to identify and cancel the permits of buses that have operated illegally in this manner. Others can always bid for the route permits that are being tendered and obtain their permits legally.”
Area residents have also pointed out that the Kotaleeya Bridge, where the tragedy occurred, is narrow compared to the road leading up to and out of it. The bridge railing itself was flimsy at best and shattered easily after being struck by the bus travelling at high speed. The difference when compared with the railing at the newer Manampitiya Bridge, located just 1.7km from Kotaleeya Bridge, is especially stark. In the aftermath of the accident, some area residents held a protest this week to demand that authorities take urgent action to build stronger protective barriers on the bridge and to widen the bridge itself.
The Kotaleeya Bridge is not the only bridge in the country that has severe safety issues. According to Minister Gunawardana, a staggering Rs. 27 billion is needed to repair bridges identified as being extremely weak and to widen bridges that are deemed too narrow. While a request had been made to the Treasury for the funds, the minister noted that the government simply did not have the required funds at this point.
The NTC, meanwhile, wrote to Passenger Transport Authorities in the provinces this week, requesting information on any private buses that have permits issued by the provincial authorities but are travelling across provinces.
Area residents hold protest
The NTC has also published tender notices to issue passenger service permits for inter-provincial passenger transport on some 140 routes. The tender process is being undertaken to ensure full transparency in the issuance of inter-provincial permits, NTC Chairman Shashi Welgama told the Sunday Times.
All Ceylon Private Bus Owners Association Secretary Anjana Priyanjith, though, claimed there were far deeper issues that were leading to bus accidents, most notably, cut-throat competition between buses due to the failure of the authorities to implement a proper timetable for them.
The competition between private buses and Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses, as well as between private buses themselves, is intense due to two or more buses running into each other on the same route because they do not operate according to a proper timetable, alleged Mr Priyanjith.
Area residents hold protest
“Everyone is obviously trying to make a profit and when two or more buses are on the same route almost at the same time, it inevitably ends in a race among them. By failing to enact a proper timetable, the NTC and the Transport Ministry are responsible for encouraging unnecessary competition and risking more accidents,” he said.
Mr Priyanjith alleged that the only reason that the Manampitiya bus was able to operate between provinces for years was clearly due to “some under-the-table deal.”
Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association President Gemunu Wijeratne agreed, saying corruption would have played a part in the bus being allowed to operate between provinces for so long. He said he had written to authorities asking for an inquiry to identify officials who may have been involved.
| Facebook post warned of killer bus three years ago Three years ago, a concerned citizen who travelled on the “Sachin Express” that took eleven lives, including two university students, and injured dozens this week shared his experience on Facebook after witnessing the reckless driving behaviour of the bus driver. The post, warning about a potential future accident if the bus operators failed to obey regulations, was written by a resident from Kalladay in Batticaloa. His prediction turned out to be true, and many took to social media platforms to point out how local authorities turned a blind eye to those recklessly driving bus operators despite public complaints and public discourse on social media. His Facebook post published on March 6, 2020, reads: “The bus named after an Indian cricketer which operates via Batticaloa route is going to claim the lives of innocent people very soon. I have witnessed several times speeding and overtaking other vehicles at high speed without giving adequate space. For the attention of the bus owner- tell your driver and conductor to act responsibly without putting the lives of the people in danger. If there is any danger to the public, your bus will be in Court and you would lose your business,” #Reduce Speed. On that fateful day, the route bus “Sachin Express” was on its way from Kaduruwela to Kattankudy. Passing Manampitiya Bridge lies ahead of another accident-prone bridge locally known as “Kotaleeya Palama”. The high-speed bus rammed off and fell into the river in the early hours. The youths from the area rushed to the scene to rescue the victims, and with the help of vehicles and ambulances, they were admitted to Welikdanda General Hospital in Polonnaruwa. This is not the first time this particular bus has met with an accident. In 2019, the bus slipped off the road near Welikanda due to high speed, but passengers survived with minor injuries, another passenger who travelled on the bus commented on the post.
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| Demerit point system is to be implemented in two monthsBy Minaza Hassan Arrangements are being made to implement the demerit points system for drivers in two months, Motor Traffic Commissioner General Nishantha Weerasingha said. The system was to be implemented in January this year, but, due to various reasons, it has been delayed. The points will be be deducted for 32 traffic offences. Some of the key features of the point system are:
By Prasad Rukmal A semi-luxury private bus travelling from Badulla to Colombo ran off the road in the Uduwara area of the Badulla-Bandarawela main road and overturned into the outside premises of a funeral parlour, injuring 21 people yesterday morning. The injured were admitted to the Demodara and Badulla General Hospitals, according to Ella Police. Eight women and eleven men who were injured in the accident were admitted to the Badulla General Hospital. Their condition was not serious, hospital Deputy Director Dr. Gayan Cooray said. Police said the other two injured people were receiving treatment at the Demodara Hospital. About 25 passengers were travelling in this semi-luxury private bus that was headed from Badulla to Colombo at 10.20 am yesterday. The driver of the bus was injured while the conductor escaped unhurt, Police said.
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