Transport undertaking MSRTC buys 385 breath analysers
For the first time, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has bought 385 breath analysers to ensure its drivers don't take to the wheel after consuming alcohol. A senior officer from MSRTC on Monday said the state-run bus service provider has bought these breath analysers from the Rs 1 crore fund given from the dedicated Road Safety Fund that was created in October 2016.
"We have already distributed newly bought breath analysers to our depots across the state. The gadgets are used for checking if the drivers have consumed alcohol or not," he said.
The state government has created a dedicated Road Safety Fund which gets money from cess levied on newly registered vehicles. Annually around Rs 250 crore gets deposited in the fund.
According to MSRTC officers, the breath analysers are used for conducting random checks of crew members, especially drivers, to find out if they have consumed alcohol while on duty.
Another officer said the crew members face immediate suspension, and in some cases, lose job if found drunk on duty.
In case of a major accident, they also check if the driver was drunk, he said.
"Drivers are sensitised for 'drink and drive' during our training sessions starting from their joining," an official from the operations department.
MSRTC is one of the biggest public transport undertakings in the country with a fleet of more than 18,000 buses. Daily over 65 lakh passengers travel on its buses.
