Kalaburagi; The Karnataka Kalyana Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) has suspended a bus driver and two maintenance staff members after a government bus was allegedly driven at night using a mobile phone flashlight following the failure of its headlights, putting passengers’ lives at risk.
The incident occurred on July 4 when a KKRTC bus (KA-28 F-1985) was travelling from Kalaburagi to Chincholi. According to officials, the bus developed a complete headlight failure during the journey. Instead of halting the vehicle and arranging an alternative bus for passengers, the crew allegedly continued the trip by relying on the flashlight of a mobile phone to illuminate the road.
A video of the incident, which quickly went viral on social media, showed the conductor holding a mobile phone flashlight through the front windshield while the driver continued to operate the bus in near darkness. The footage triggered widespread criticism, with commuters and citizens accusing the transport corporation of compromising passenger safety.
Taking serious note of the incident, the Kalaburagi Divisional Controller ordered the suspension of driver Akash, technician Shivanand and maintenance supervisor Basavaraj pending a departmental inquiry.
According to KKRTC officials, driver Akash has been suspended for operating the bus despite being aware of the headlight failure. Technician Shivanand has been held responsible for allowing the vehicle to be put into service without properly rectifying the defect, while maintenance supervisor Basavaraj has been suspended for allegedly failing to ensure adequate inspection and supervision of the vehicle’s maintenance.
The incident has raised serious concerns over the maintenance standards and fitness certification of state-run buses. Many questioned why the bus was not withdrawn from service immediately after the headlights failed and why passengers were not shifted to another vehicle instead of being exposed to such a dangerous situation.
The controversy has also drawn political reactions, with BJP and JD(S) leaders criticising the state government over the condition of public transport services. They alleged that the incident reflected poor maintenance practices and administrative negligence within the transport corporation.
KKRTC officials said a departmental inquiry is underway and assured that maintenance procedures and safety protocols would be reviewed to prevent similar incidents in the future. The corporation reiterated that passenger safety remains its highest priority and that any negligence by employees would be dealt with strictly.
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