West Bengal Government To Suspend Drivers' Licenses If Found Talking On Mobile Phones

Kolkata : The license of a driver would be suspended if the person is found driving while talking over mobile phone, according to a new directive from the West Bengal Transport Department said.

"As per the directive, the driving license of the person on the wheel will be suspended then and there if he is found talking over the mobile phone while driving. We will also take the CCTV footage as evidence to take action against the driver," a senior state government official said today.

The notification came after 43 people died after a bus fell into a canal in Murshidabad district last month. The driver of the ill-fated bus was reportedly talking on the mobile phone, which could have led to the mishap.

According to a senior officer of Kolkata Police, people would also be able to upload photographs of the driver violating the law on its social networking site.

"We have talked to psychologists and found that the when a driver is talking over the phone while driving, he looses his concentration leading to accidents. Hence, such a strict decision to suspend license of drivers have been taken," the officer said.

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The South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC) and the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) have already decided to ban the use of mobile phones while driving.

Drivers would be immediately suspended and fined if they were found using mobile phones while on duty.

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The same measures would be taken if drivers and conductors are found drunk while on duty, the officer said, adding, SBSTC would soon start installing CCTVs in all its buses to ensure that the rule was followed.