Recent tragic accidents involving sleeper buses across India have tragically claimed 46 lives in just one week, raising urgent questions about road safety. Fires and crashes in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana have exposed critical vulnerabilities in the design, regulation, and operation of these long-route vehicles, turning them into potential deathtraps for passengers.
A devastating fire on a Jaisalmer to Jodhpur sleeper bus resulted in 26 fatalities shortly after departure. This incident was closely followed by another fatal crash in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool, where a collision with a motorcycle claimed 20 lives. These repeated tragedies underscore a disturbing trend of inadequate safety measures on Indian roads.
Experts point to a problematic nexus between transport authorities, bus owners, and bodybuilders as a root cause. Bus owners often purchase chassis from original manufacturers and then outsource body construction, bypassing stringent safety standards. This informal building process can lead to non-compliance with crucial regulations like AIS 052 and 119, which dictate safety features and design.
Common violations include exceeding approved seating capacity, which obstructs emergency exits. Furthermore, many buses are not equipped with essential safety equipment like fire extinguishers. The materials used in construction, often flammable aluminum wood composites instead of reinforced steel, and non-collapsible compartment designs exacerbate fire risks. Curtains not made of flame-retardant material also contribute to rapid fire spread, engulfing buses in minutes.
Adding to the danger, some bodybuilders illegally install additional fuel tanks to extend journey ranges, further compromising vehicle safety standards. In contrast, electric buses, fully manufactured by OEMs without third-party body builders, generally adhere to compliance standards. Road safety organizations are actively investigating these crashes to identify high-risk highways and districts to improve safety measures nationwide.
