Transport Minister C.P. John has said that financial compensation will be provided to the families of the conductor and driver who died in the recent road accident involving a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus near Bengaluru in Karnataka.

K. Mithilesh and N.M. Arun, the driver and conductor respectively, of the bus died, and around 25 people were injured in the accident at Bidadi near Bengaluru on August 8. The family of Arun, who was a permanent employee, would get around ₹1 crore as compensation. Since Mithilesh was a contract staff, his family could get a maximum of ₹10 lakh. Steps would be taken to enhance this amount, the Minister said.

Mr. John, meanwhile, dismissed reports saying that Mithilesh was not given enough rest. The driver was experienced in handling long trips, and he had been given around 16 hours of rest before he joined again for duty. From preliminary examination, it was revealed that the vehicle was not old too. Pointing out that the deployment of a ‘driver-cum-conductor’ system on long-distance routes was a good proposal, there were practical difficulties in its implementation, Mr. John said.

Meanwhile, the Kerala State Human Rights Commission has directed transport officials to strictly implement the operating procedures to avoid the recurrence of such accidents. Commission judicial member K. Baijunath directed them to ensure that drivers are getting enough rest and that the deployment guidelines for long-distance routes are followed. Unqualified and inexperienced staff should not be engaged in such services, and all the rules on work schedules and rest should be implemented. Mr. Baijunath pointed out that if the media reports on the accident are to be believed, there was a gross human rights violation related to the incident. The Chairman and Managing Director, KSRTC, has been asked to submit an action taken report at the commission’s sitting to be held in Kozhikode on August 21.

Published - August 10, 2026 07:45 pm IST