MANGALORE: It has come to light of late that some buses of the KSRTC Mangalore
Division can be seen bearing a small piece of metal (Tayatha) provided by a black
magician, reportedly to avert ill-happenings.
According to sources, these Tayatas have been put up on the buses during the end
of 2009, when the Mangalore Division of KSRTC had to suffer much due to a spate
of accidents. It is learnt, several drivers had then even complained of aching limbs.
KSRTC?s Senior Divisional Controller PB Kurumbaiah who then concluded that the
black magic performed on government buses by private bus operators had led to a spurt
in accidents and was also responsible for the aching limbs of the drivers, had got the
rituals performed by some black magician. As part of the ritual, an Aghora Homa was
also performed at the KSRTC premises then. Suggestions had also been sought from
Kerala black magicians and a black magician even buried something in the four corners
of the KSRTC depot grounds. But not satisfied with this, the Tayatas were secured from
the black magicians and tied to the buses.
Why?
But, when one goes deep into the reasons for the increasing accidents as well as
the tiredness of the drivers, the fact that comes to the fore is that the bus crew were
overworked. Just to prove that the KSRTC was running under profit, the officers were
making the trainee drivers work overtime. In order to save the wages, the trainees during
their training period were made to work 16 hours a day without proper rest. Naturally,
this led to a spurt in accidents and the continuous work on the driver?s seat had led to
aching limbs.
But the management without understanding the facts, tried to find succour in some
superstitious belief, thinking that it was an easy solution to the problem.
What has been alleged is that the KSRTC officials had tried to make profit even in the
Tayata business by selling the same to drivers. Sources said the officials had forced the
workers to purchase the Tayatas to be tied to the buses.
It is learnt, the drivers had purchased these metal pieces for a price ranging from Rs 100
to Rs 300 from the officials, for fear of action. But, the fact remains that the KSRTC
buses are involved in accidents even now, even after so much effort.
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