Buses are considered a relatively safer mode of public transport, carrying commuters to schools and work places without hassles as they are equipped with fire-retardant mechanism.
However, the commuters’ confidence has of late been shaken in the wake of the frequent fires on running buses in which millions of people day in and day out travel.
The death of 15 passengers when the gas cylinder used for cooking exploded in a tourist bus near Kandukur town recently was just an instance. However, passengers of two air-conditioned private buses fitted with safety equipment safely alighted before the fire caused by electric short circuit gutted the vehicles.
Buses are governed by well-established standards, regulations and certification processes to ensure the maintenance of high levels of safety covering various aspects including design, operation and evacuation. Yet they are followed more in breach than in observance at the grassroots level leading to fire in engine compartment, battery compartment, wheel well or the luggage compartment, says an Road Transport official on condition of anonymity.
The RTC has put in place fire suppression system in conjunction with the regular vehicle inspection. “We conduct inspection after 12,000 km travel in case of ordinary buses and after 15,000 km in case of express buses,” says RTC Regional Manager K. Adam Saheb. All the bus drivers are provided with customised professional training including exercises in fire safety and evacuation, he adds.
But this is not the case with private buses. The bus operators mostly go to the workshop only when there is a vehicle breakdown.
T. Rajendra Reddy, Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer with the APSRTC, says: “Overheating of the engine compartment is the most common cause of fire and failure of components. With necessary cooling facility an imminent fire can be avoided.” Installation of fire suppression systems in the engine compartment could go a long way in preventing accidents. The sharing of information on best practices could also ensure safe travel.
However, Centre of Indian Trade Unions State Secretary Ayyappa Reddy feels that about 50% of the RTC’s fleet is over-aged. The practice of hiring private buses is hurting the RTC, which, he feels should focus on replacing on top priority basis at least 5,000 of the 12,000 buses which had crossed the stipulated 6.5-lakh km travel before going ahead with the proposal to purchase high-end air-conditioned buses.
The new generation buses come with advanced fire detection and suppression systems. With new alternative fuels set to replace fossil fuels, they present new fire risks too. Alternative fuels like ethanol can also to some extent be more challenging to extinguish, feel fire safety experts.
Assessing human error as one of the main causes, the State government plans to set up Institute of Driving Training and Traffic Research at Darsi in Prakasam district to provide professional driver training and lay down the ground rules for safe driving, according to transport officials.
