The Kerala High Court has criticised reckless driving by private bus operators in Kochi saying some drivers are “Yamas on the streets” instead of “lords of the streets”. The court made these remarks after watching footage of a fatal accident in Kakkanad where a 28-year old woman was killed after being hit by a private bus.
Justice Devan Ramachandran said there are so many complaints about dangerous driving, speeding and behaviour of private bus drivers towards other road users that it is serious. Court asked police whether they can control violations like this and called for stronger measures to prevent further accidents.
The comments were made in proceedings on road safety and condition of roads in Kerala.
Kerala High Court Questions Reckless Driving By Private Bus Operators
While watching the accident footage Justice Devan Ramachandran was anguished over the death of the young woman and questioned how private buses were being driven on city roads.
The court noted that commuters and pedestrians were increasingly having difficulties because of reckless driving. Complaints were also made that private bus drivers use their horns aggressively to intimidate other road users and force them to move aside.
The court said private buses were also encroaching on footpaths putting pedestrians at risk.
The judge expressed his concern over the situation and said drivers must know what responsibility they are taking when operating large passenger vehicles. He asked why such drivers were acting as if they had complete control over public roads.
The court said private bus drivers were no longer behaving like ordinary road users but had become a serious threat to public safety.
Kakkanad Accident That Triggered Strong Court Remarks
The court’s observations came after a 28-year-old woman named Akshara died in a private bus accident at Kakkanad, Kochi.
Akshara, an IT professional from Thrissur who worked in Infopark area was killed when she was hit by a private bus while walking on the road. She was returning from gym when accident took place.
The incident raised serious concerns about pedestrian safety because the stretch in question supposedly had no footpath at all.
After seeing the accident footage the court asked how pedestrians could be expected to stay safe if roads didn’t provide space for walking.
Justice Ramachandran said that the victim was somebody’s daughter and that another young life was lost due to dangerous driving.
The incident also led to protests by IT professionals and other residents who wanted stricter action against reckless private bus operations.
Police Asked To Introduce Smart ID System For Private Bus Drivers
During the hearing, Kochi DCP (Law and Order and Traffic) Arun K Pavithran appeared before the court and informed it that steps are being taken to monitor private bus drivers and other employees.
The police told the court that Smart ID with QR codes was being planned for private bus drivers and staff members.
The system is supposed to help authorities identify drivers, track their activities and keep records of violations.
The court also directed Kochi police to bring every private bus driver under the proposed Smart ID system. It also sought implementation within a week.
The judge asked why drivers without proper identification or Smart ID credentials should be allowed to drive buses in the city.
The court also said bus operators who employ drivers who repeatedly break traffic rules should also be punished.
Kerala HC Questions Police Over Repeat Offenders
The High Court also questioned whether existing enforcement measures were sufficient against drivers who committed repeat traffic offences.
It said that suspending a person’s driver licence for a short period of time was not enough if the person could go back on the road and continue driving dangerously.
The court asked why bus owners and operators weren’t being held accountable for hiring drivers with questionable backgrounds or repeat violations?
It asked police to look at action against vehicle owners and operators as well as individual drivers. It did not ask them to only enforce against individuals.
The court also said bus schedules and timing pressures could not be used to excuse reckless driving.
Public safety has to be the primary responsibility of police even if private buses are running late, said the court.
Court Raises Concerns Over Lack Of Footpaths In Kochi
Apart from reckless driving the Kerala High Court also cited inadequate pedestrian infrastructure in Kochi.
The court noted that “many roads had no footpaths at all and pedestrians were forced to walk along the main carriageway with traffic”.
It also said existing footpaths were often taken up by parked vehicles and other encroachments.
The Kakkanad accident showed us how dangerous it is for pedestrians (who have little or no dedicated space to walk) if they do not have safe passage.
The court asked the Kochi Corporation why they hadn’t made footpaths accessible and warned that if steps were not taken it could be called for contempt proceedings.
It said pedestrian safety cannot be ignored when planning and maintaining urban roads.
What Happens Next?
Kerala High Court has asked Kochi police to take more action against reckless private bus operations. The court said it wants stronger enforcement from Kochi police so that reckless private bus operations are controlled.
The Smart ID system, action against repeat offenders and greater accountability of bus owners were among the measures discussed during the proceedings.
The court has also directed the need to remove footpath encroachments and improve pedestrian infrastructure.
The matter will be again considered on November 13, 2026.
The court’s comments reflect a bigger road safety problem in Kerala: accidents don’t happen overnight. They need to be prevented before they occur — traffic regulations must be enforced consistently and pedestrians must not fear using public roads.
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