Hyderabad: City RTC bus drivers have expressed strong displeasure over the corporation’s decision to make seat belts mandatory. They said the move was impractical for older buses, where the driver’s cabins are worn out and ventilation was poor. Drivers complained that in ageing buses, wearing seat belts for long hours under high temperatures would feel like “a noose tightening around the neck.”
The corporation has begun fitting seat belts across its fleet, following a circular issued to all depots on September 25. The TGSRTC operates more than 9,700 buses, including 265 electric buses in Hyderabad. Another 235 e-buses will soon join the fleet. Only the electric and newer air-conditioned buses already have seat belts installed.
The new rule requires both the driver and any passenger in the front seat to wear seat belts. “It’s aimed at improving safety, as seat belts save lives,” an official said. Several senior drivers said the decision was unrealistic for diesel buses. “We drive for eight to nine hours daily through potholes, traffic and heat. In these conditions, wearing a seat belt constantly is suffocating,” one driver said.
Another added that the rule was suitable for electric and air-conditioned buses but not for older vehicles. According to the State Road Transport Authority, seat belts have been mandatory under the Motor Vehicles Act since 2004 for both the driver and front passenger seats, and the corporation is now enforcing this rule strictly.
