Felicitated in the capital for zero-accidents-in-20-years record
Kisan Rambhau Ghodke, Nandkumar Lawand, Rajendra Alwate, Mohammed Rafique Abdul Sattar Mulla, Arun Kuchekar and Girijashankar Pandey
Six drivers attached to various transport services in Maharashtra were felicitated for not getting into a single accident for more than two decades. In total, 42 such drivers across the country were feted for their spotless record by the Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (ASRTU) in New Delhi last week.
Of the six drivers, one is employed by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking while two are attached to the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). The rest work for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT), Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal (PMPML) and Solapur Municipal Transport Corporation (SMTC).
Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport buses at the Wadala depot on October 11, 2021. File pic
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ASRTU felicitates drivers who have executed their duties without encountering a single accident or receiving complaints from citizens or officials during their service. Out of 42 selected individuals this year, 17 drivers had recorded 30 years of service without an accident. mid-day spoke with the six drivers from the state to gain insights into road safety and learn how they achieved the next to impossible.
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Kisan Rambhau Ghodke
Kisan Rambhau Ghodke joined the MSRTC in February 1986 and was deployed to the Raigad division. “I had worked as a truck cleaner and even ferried tanks containing acid for a Thane-based company. This experience came in handy while ferrying passengers for 36 years,” said Ghodke, chuckling. Ghodke, served in the Raigad, Mumbai and Beed divisions and retired last month. The secret of his success is following the rules strictly and taking every precaution. “I have driven on the narrow roads of Raigad and the Konkan and even on the expressway. I made sure never to get overconfident and I never ignored signs. I drove at night for nearly 20 years. I never had dinner during those two decades, as food can make you drowsy. I survived only on tea and biscuits for years,” he said. “Whenever I felt sleepy, without hesitating, I would stop the bus, sprinkle water, even soda, on my face and restart the journey,” he said.“It’s not difficult to drive safely. All you need to do is keep an eye on the road and signs,” Ghodke said.
Mohammed Rafique Abdul Sattar Mulla
Mohammed Rafique Abdul Sattar Mulla has served in the MSRTC for 29 years and has six months of service left. He was never the subject of a single complaint by passengers. “I considered passengers God and my bus a place of worship. In my entire service, I never overtook any vehicle,” said Mulla. Hailing from Jaysingpur, Mulla completed most of his service in the Sangli division. He said, “The key to remaining safe on the road is not to hurry. Even if I see an empty road, I never crossed the speed limit or rushed to complete my journey before time. In fact, I make sure my bus reaches on time and leaves the stop on time.”
Mulla recalled an incident from 1992 when he was a few months into the job. “I was assigned to a bus that was supposed to be driven to a village in Shirala for a night halt. But the conductor told me that as the village is on a hill and drivers don’t manoeuvre the vehicle up the slope. The villagers, instead, make a descent to collectively push the bus up the incline. But I was enthusiastic. I told the conductor that I was just walking up to the village to examine the road and would come back. After inspecting the road, I thought I could handle it if the conductor guided me well. With his help, we drove the bus to the village. The villagers were so elated that all of them came out and felicitated the conductor and me,” said Mulla. He added, “Whenever you are behind the wheel, you should keep your mind on the road and ignore all mental distractions. If you drive without a clear head, chances are something untoward might happen.”
Nandkumar Lawand
Nandkumar Lawand joined the NMMT in 1996. “When I joined, there were only 25 buses, which plied on few routes. However, there used to be terrible traffic jams. The traffic in the direction of Thane from Kalwa was so bad that at times it would get congested till Digha. But, since the roads were wide, there was always scope to drive safely.” said Lawand. He added, “Driving city buses is tricky. When we started driving, there were no doors and passengers would hop in or jump out whenever they saw a chance. The NMMT was new and there were few fixed stops. I never got angry with these passengers and would ensure the bus was brought to a halt if someone even wanted to catch it ahead of a stop. As Navi Mumbai grows, traffic has become the biggest challenge for bus drivers. It is crucial to take cognisance of bikers and pedestrians. There are certain spots where we can’t see persons or vehicles. Lane cutting and rash driving impact our focus because we have to keep an eye on both mirrors and passengers who are alighting or boarding.” The veteran said, “Staying focused, never losing one’s cool and sticking to one’s lane are important.”
Rajendra Alwate
Rajendra Alwate, who has driven for the SMTC for 25 years, said bus drivers must keep track of vehicles to their front and rear because the sudden application of brakes could cause a massive accident. “A driver should not get distracted on the road. Mobile phones are the biggest distractor,” he said. Alwate added, “Ever since I bought a mobile phone, I never glance at it while driving. I keep it on silent mode on the road and unlock it only after I turn off the engine and vacate my seat. Many drivers feel the need to multitask at the wheel and answer phone calls or even check or send WhatsApp messages, but they should always remember that even a split second can change one’s life. It doesn’t make a difference if you don’t check your phone for an hour or so.” The old hand has two months of service left. “I am content that not a single person has been hurt or inconvenienced by my driving,” he said.
Arun Kuchekar
Arun Kuchekar, the PMPM driver, has completed 24 years of service. He said, “It is difficult for heavy vehicles to ply the narrow roads of Pune. People would think that it’s next to impossible to drive a city bus without even brushing against a passing vehicle, but it’s always possible if you drive responsibly.” Pune city, which has narrow roads and hardly any lanes, poses a challenge to drivers. Once dominated by bicycles, its streets are now ruled by thousands of two-wheelers. “Whenever I start the engine, I think of the 50 to 60 passengers behind me who have placed their faith in me. If you have that feeling, then you automatically don’t drive rashly. In my career, I never drove blindly. Sitting in the cabin, sometimes we can’t see pedestrians in front of the bonnet but I always wait and ensure there is nothing in front and then proceed,” he said. With nearly a decade of service left, Kuchekar said, “Whichever vehicle you drive, you must know its corners, and always be double conscious if you are driving on a new road and lack knowledge about curves or signal time. As a city driver, I can now anticipate which part of the city or road will have traffic or pedestrians. Keeping your speed under control is always beneficial.”
Girijashankar Pandey
Girijashankar Pandey has been working for the BEST since 1991. “There were no two-wheelers, hawkers or traffic back in the day. But I’ve always believed in the Horn OK Please method,” he said. Pandey spent most of his career at the Santacruz depot. “The biggest question on the mind of a BEST driver is, ‘I am going to reach my destination in time’. Such thoughts cause drivers to speed. I always keep them at bay and drive with patience. I believe this has served me well” said Pandey. He credits his habits to his family and spirituality. “My family never gave me any kind of headache which would bother me while driving and I have a unique perspective on various things. When driving, I always feel that even If I damage my bus, it doesn’t matter but not a single person should be hurt.” He added, “In Mumbai, most accidents happen early in the morning or after 11 pm, as the signal turns yellow. Many heavy vehicles feel like rushing during this period and that’s when mishaps occur. I have never jumped a signal or crossed one without looking and honking my horn.”
What is ASRTU?
The ASRTU was created on August 13, 1965 to bring together all state road transport undertakings in order to facilitate the pooling of resources and know-how to deal with problems and help improve their performance. The apex coordination body works under the aegis of the ministry of road transport and highways.
1991
Year Pandey joined BEST
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