Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has issued a stern directive to state governments, calling for immediate investigations into alleged corruption and serious safety violations in the construction and certification of sleeper buses. This urgent move comes in the wake of a series of devastating fire incidents involving such buses, which have claimed a staggering 145 lives in just three months across states including Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.
Crackdown on Corruption and Non-Compliance
Addressing the media after a two-day national conference on transport and road safety, Minister Gadkari revealed disturbing findings. He stated that investigations have uncovered a complete disregard for safety norms in the building of sleeper buses, coupled with corruption at multiple levels. The minister highlighted fraudulent practices, including the unauthorized use of logos from reputable brands on substandard vehicles.
"I have gone through detailed presentations on these tragic bus fire accidents. In six separate incidents, we have lost 145 precious lives," Gadkari said. He confirmed that he has written specifically to the Rajasthan government and other concerned states, urging them to probe the irregularities thoroughly and ensure exemplary action is taken against all responsible parties.
New Manufacturing Rules and Safety Retrofit Mandate
In a decisive step to overhaul the system, the central government has mandated a significant policy shift. Henceforth, sleeper coach buses can only be manufactured by certified automobile companies or facilities accredited by the central government. This move aims to eliminate unregulated body builders from the ecosystem.
For the existing fleet of sleeper buses already on the roads, a compulsory retrofit order has been issued. These vehicles must now be equipped with a suite of safety features, including:
- Advanced fire detection and suppression systems.
- Clearly marked emergency exits with break-glass hammers.
- Emergency lighting to guide passengers during crises.
- Driver drowsiness detection and alert systems.
Road Transport Secretary V. Umashankar has also written to the chief secretaries of all states, emphasizing the need to address the problem urgently and fix accountability.
V2V Communication Tech for Accident Prevention
Separately, looking at a broader technological solution to enhance road safety, Gadkari announced that the government is working to introduce Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication technology. This system will utilize free spectrum and is planned to be rolled out initially for cars.
The V2V technology is designed to create a real-time communication network between vehicles. It will alert drivers about critical data from nearby vehicles, such as:
- Their speed and sudden acceleration or braking.
- Precise location and presence in blind spots.
This real-time information exchange is expected to provide drivers with crucial extra seconds to take preventive action, thereby potentially averting collisions and saving lives on Indian highways.
