Rajkot: Following a tragic accident at Indira Circle where a city bus driver’s reckless driving claimed the lives of four people, a wave of resignations by city bus drivers has severely disrupted public transport in the city. The police have registered a case under various sections, and strict action has been initiated, prompting panic among drivers.

In the last six days, 25 drivers have resigned, creating operational difficulties on several routes. The Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC), which outsources bus driver staffing to private agencies, is also reviewing its records as over 2,700 complaints were filed against drivers and conductors in the past year, including issues like rash driving, misconduct, and failure to issue change for tickets.

One of the contracted agencies saw its drivers refuse to operate buses the day after a colleague was booked for the accident. Local managers went missing, and only after a visit from the company’s director did operations resume. Still, 70% of city bus routes remained suspended for a day. Despite attempts to resume services, fear of legal action has led to a surge in resignations, causing further disruption.

RMC officials stated that they had not received any information regarding the resignations and said that ensuring driver availability is the agency’s responsibility. However, sources confirmed that 25 routes were non-operational in Rajkot. DeshGujarat