A Socio Legal Study on the regressions of public bus transport service and the passengers’ rights

Abstract

Sri Lanka is a prominent country among other third world countries in social welfare. This study attempts to identify the inconveniences faced by persons using public transport services and the rights of these passengers. In present society, commuters do not have a considerable sense of security while travelling by bus and often it can be observed how they are abused physically, verbally as well as mentally. This study deals with the reasons for this kind of harassment and the actions which can be taken to prevent such distressing situations. The research problem was to distinguish whether or not bus commuters had a sense of security when travelling. The main objectives of this study were to identify the level of security of the passengers who are utilizing the public bus transport service in Sri Lanka, to gain knowledge about the passengers’ rights, to identify the legal actions that can be taken against the harassments happening in a bus and to identify how to amend current laws regarding passengers’ rights. Methods of data collection included a survey, participation observation, interviews and questionnaires. Accordingly, the findings of the study reveal that 99% passengers have been subject to harassment despite their gender and none of these victims have resorted to legal help. However, a majority of the passengers that have faced such problems have been women. Identification of such social issues in the contemporary context can be seen as a vital component which affects the building up of a legally and culturally enriched society.