Patna, Feb. 23: The government today failed to tell the Assemly what steps it has taken to check speeding of state-run and school buses.

To a question raised by RJD legislator Nawal Kishore Yadav during the Question Hour in the Bihar Legislative Council, water resources minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary failed to reply what measures the government had taken to check the state-run and school buses from over-speeding. He said the buses travel at high speed and often get into accidents in the state capital.

Replying to the question on behalf of the government, Choudhary said the traffic police had taken action against violators in their effort to check speeding by vehicles.

He added: “In 2010, the traffic police collected Rs 2.27 lakh as penalty from 227 offenders and around Rs 3 lakh from 200 vehicles in 2011.”

However, on being asked by the RJD legislator, the minister could not provide a break-up in the figure of penalty collected from government buses and school buses.

The minister said traffic department officials, along with inspectors of respective police stations, have been initiating action against traffic violators using provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.

The legislator was, however, not satisfied with Choudhary’s reply and insisted that the minister be specific in providing details about the total amount of fine imposed on and collected from the state-run and school buses in this connection.

Yadav also sought to know the number of government buses and school buses on which the traffic department had slapped fine under the 10-20kmph speed regulation in crowded areas. The state had promulgated the speed regulation two years ago.

He added that despite guidelines issued by the traffic department, drivers of school buses never comply with the directive and cause accidents on a regular basis.