But civic body says its employees are cautious and take all precautions while driving dumpers and garbage trucks
But civic body says its employees are cautious and take all precautions while driving dumpers and garbage trucks
Irrespective of the rising number of accident cases involving dumper and garbage trucks in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) doesn't seem interested in training those behind the wheels of these vehicles. 
Death on wheels: Mangled remains of a dumper truck after it met with
an accident on the Western Express Highway at Goregaon. file pic
At least this is what officials from the transport department, regional transport office (RTO) and Mumbai traffic police feel.
Official word
According to transport officials, despite requesting the civic body to train its drivers time and again, so far nothing has been done.
"Since training and giving driving lessons to dumper and garbage truck drivers isn't their priority, the corporation is taking its own sweet time," said a senior transport department official, on condition of anonymity.
Sources added that in the past, Traffic police had written to BMC's respective departments, asking them to co-ordinate with the agencies that can train these drivers.
"We are looking at imparting training to drivers of garbage trucks, dumpers, buses, autorickshaws and taxis, who tend to drive rashly during late nights and wee hours," said V N More, transport commissioner.
Expert comment
According to transport experts, most of the time the drivers are rash and are often found to be driving under the influence of alcohol.
"Even garbage truck drivers are caught and fined for driving under the influence of alcohol," said Brijesh Singh, additional commissioner (traffic).
The traffic officers claim that it is the BMC's duty to ensure that these drivers drive carefully and observe traffic rules while driving.
'It's difficult'
The BMC officials stated that since the drivers are hired on a contract basis, the contractor keeps on rotating them frequently, making it practically impossible for them to
train the drivers.
The other side
Defending the allegations levelled against their drivers, the BMC officials claimed that the drivers employed by them take the utmost care, and never drink and drive.
"After the stringent implementation of laws related to drink-driving, our drivers have become extremely careful. We are also looking at providing driving simulators for training them and improving their driving skills," said B Patil, chief engineer, solid waste management.
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