Consumer forums in the Nilgiris have asked the regional transport office to tighten oversight of minibuses, fares, school vehicles and other public-transport services after raising concerns about overcharging, maintenance and passenger safety in the hill district.
The demands were made at a quarterly meeting between the regional transport office and consumer forums. The associations asked the transport authority to ensure that minibuses charge only the prescribed fares and to take measures against operators collecting more from passengers.
The forums also called for restrictions on the use of loud horns and music in minibuses. They said drivers and conductors should wear uniforms and name badges, making it easier for passengers to identify operating staff. The associations further sought the operation of minibuses during night hours to meet public demand.
The demands extend beyond fares and service timings. The consumer representatives asked the RTO to inspect minibuses that hold permits but are not currently operating. Such inspections, they said, would help establish whether permitted services are being used and whether gaps in availability are affecting passengers in the hill region.
Vehicle equipment and operating conditions were also raised at the meeting. The forums asked the authority to prevent the installation of excessive lights on vehicles, saying these can inconvenience other motorists. They called for inspections of government buses operating without proper maintenance and sought checks to ensure that emergency spares, including spare tyres, are properly maintained.
The associations also sought continuous checks on autorickshaws to confirm that they follow regulations and charge prescribed fares. Their demands place fare enforcement and vehicle-condition inspections alongside wider questions about the reliability of local transport services.
School-vehicle safety formed another part of the representations. The consumer forums asked the transport authorities to prevent school buses from speeding and to monitor and penalise the practice of carrying students beyond the permitted capacity. The demands directly concern the safety of schoolchildren and the enforcement responsibilities of transport officials.
The meeting brought together the RTO and consumer forums to discuss complaints and regulatory concerns relating to transport operations in the Nilgiris. The report did not specify any immediate enforcement action, number of vehicles inspected, or timeline for implementing the measures sought by the associations. The next steps will depend on the transport office’s response and any inspections or enforcement drives that follow.
