Awaiting Justice... Seeking Safety in City Buses

9 comments
It has been four long years that I have been waiting for justice from the N.M.M.T. officials with regards to the very unfortunate rowdy bus conductor episode in which I was a victim of one of the errant employee, a bus conductor of Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport. After four long years, the NMMT authorities have woke up and have recently sent me two communication letters at very short notices asking for my physical presence at their Turbhe, Navi Mumbai office. I am miserably dissatisfied with the casual proceedings in this case by the public organization. The entire episode really haunts me with a grave question as of how secure we as the city residents are while we move out of our homes into city buses. Below is the letter I posted to NMMT inquiry officer today who is looking into this case:

(Delivered By India Post - Speed Post EM249202692IN on 9th Oct, 2010)

To,

The Enquiry Officer,
Enquiry Department,
Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (N.M.M.T.),
Turbhe Depot, 2nd Floor,
Turbhe - Navi Mumbai - 400 703

Dear Sir,

Subject: Complaint lodged by me on July 28th, 2006 against rowdy bus conductor Shree Chintamani Kadam, Badge no. 196149

In the above context, I have received your two letters dated 7th Sep, 2010 calling me to appear for enquiry on 17th Sep, 2010 and another dated 4th Oct, 2010 advising me to appear as a witness on 15th Oct, 2010 in connection with the charge sheet filed against the errant bus conductor Shri. Kadam.


At the outset, I have to submit in this connection that I may please be exempted from giving personal appearance at your office for the reason that from the last over two years; I have been settled in Pune city and cannot afford to give any personal appearance. However, at the same time I hereby make it very clear that my presence or absence in the enquiry process does not in any way make my submissions in the complaint weak. As such, you are requested to complete the enquiry process in my absence and on the basis of the factual points made in my complaint without any further delay. Regarding the inquiry process, first of all I am totally dissatisfied with your delaying tactics in concluding the inquiry process which otherwise should have been completed latest by the year end of 2006. It is quite unreasonable, unjust and biased approach of N.M.M.T. to have taken two and a half years to appoint you as an enquiry officer in this case and now you are taking your own time to finish the process. Also, your insisting on my personal appearance would amount to negating justice by applying delaying tactics as you'll agree that "Justice delayed is justice denied". Besides, the delay being caused in this process gives rise to the suspicion that the inquiry process is being made as a farce and you are predetermined in unduly protecting your own employee/worker from handing out penalty for his misdeeds.

It is, therefore, to be noted that N.M.M.T. being a public institution has to set its own house in order and the commuters are saved from the rude and inconsiderate behavior of its workers. I, therefore, once again request your honor to kindly take into account all my submissions made in my complaint letter as also the points made herein before and conclude the enquiry process without any further delay in the interest of justice and oblige.

Before I conclude, I submit that the worker Shree Kadam was neither familiar to me earlier nor I am keeping any personal/individual grudge against him. Also, there is no question of my having any personal enmity with him. As such, I appeal before your good self that the case proceedings or the enquiry process is concluded in a purely objective manner and without any aspect of biased approach which will go a long way in improving N.M.M.T.'s image in the public eye.

I do hope, my submissions meet the ends of justice for which I shall remain thankful to you sir.
I am aware to take legal recourse in the matter if the circumstances so demand.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,
Neeraj Shinde
(Complainant)

9 comments :

  1. I think before one gets into a battle like this, one must accept the speed at which the Indian justice system works and the way bureaucracy moves.

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  2. In India, one can go on and on with issues such as these and still not find a solution!

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  3. we should see it through till the end. :)

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  4. Very good Neeraj! I am happy to see people are coming forward and asking for justice. Your letter is simply superb but I s whether if that officer who's looking into your case would really appreciate your way of putting the things across to him. After all there is a famous dictum in Hindi. Laton ke bhoot baato se nahi manate. BTW Mai agar tumhari jagah hota to woh conductor naukri karne ke layak nahi hota. I have done this with few people in my life but now somewhere I feel bad about my reactions to their actions. Anyways nice way of putting the things.

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  5. @BK Chowla, This is too unfortunate for our nation sir!
    @V Rakesh, I am just being optimistic Rakesh. Misbehavior must be punished lest it will become a trend.
    @Prem, Definitely, I will
    @KK, Thanks. But, responses have more impact than reactions. Reactions hurt the reactor more.

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  6. Good luck, Neeraj!!! Kudos to you for actually stepping forward with the petition/complaint. But yes, we live in India. We unfortunately cannot expect anything else. Unless you can catch hold of Barkha Dutt or someone and give them some 'breaking news'.
    Good luck......
    -http://writerzblock.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/past-promises-forgotten-futures/

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  7. @writerzblock, I wish to conclude my fight for justice through the channel you have proposed. DNA, Navi Mumbai has already covered the incident four years back.

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  8. well done...I appreciate your bravery!

    http://www.indiblogger.in/indipost.php?post=34845
    +ve n -ve of the phone and a girl's life..do read it,if liked vote to support

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