The Kerala High Court has questioned Kochi traffic police over reckless private bus driving in the city, asking whether keeping to a schedule could justify behaviour that puts road users at risk. The remarks were made while the court considered petitions concerning traffic and road conditions in Kochi.
A bench led by Justice Devan Ramachandran asked whether police could act against rash and negligent driving only after receiving complaints, and whether traffic officials had a statutory duty to regulate such violations. Higher-ranking traffic police officers were present before the court in compliance with an earlier direction issued after repeated incidents of reckless driving and road accidents.
During the hearing, the bench asked why private buses could not remain in the slow lane and avoid overtaking. It said reckless driving could not be justified on the basis that buses had to maintain their schedules. The court also questioned whether Kochi’s traffic monitoring camera system was functioning.
The bench observed that every vehicle, including cars and buses, could become a potential source of serious harm, and said driving licences were made mandatory by law for that reason. It added that while the court could issue orders, enforcement remained the responsibility of the concerned officials. If drivers had no fear of the enforcement system, they would have no fear of the law either, the court remarked.
The court said it could not take over the duties of officials or micromanage them, and called on authorities to respond promptly and effectively to traffic violations. It described Kochi as a smart city with modern facilities but criticised what it called the city’s poor driving culture.
The bench also raised concerns about the way serious road crashes were being handled. It observed that some accidents could be serious enough to warrant consideration of an offence such as attempt to murder, while cases were registered only for rash and negligent driving. The court warned that this could create a situation in which people felt they could do anything on the roads.
The hearing also addressed the conduct of private bus drivers during overtaking. The court said drivers often used their horns to intimidate other motorists. It questioned the description of Kochi as a smart city when roads were barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass and were further constrained by vehicles parked on both sides.
The bench said it intended to summon officials from the Motor Vehicles Department to discuss traffic-related issues that had contributed to loss of life on the roads. The matter was adjourned to October 16.
