After 145 Deaths in Bus Accidents, Centre Tightens Rules for Sleeper Coaches

The Centre is tightening safety rules for sleeper coach buses after a series of deadly fire incidents across the country.

Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari said sleeper buses will now be allowed to be built only by vehicle manufacturers or by body-building units that are formally accredited by the Centre. The move is aimed at bringing better quality control and accountability into a segment that has seen repeated safety failures.

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For buses already on the road, the government will mandate retrofitting of basic safety equipment.

For buses already on the road, the government will mandate retrofitting of basic safety equipment. This includes fire detection systems, clearly marked emergency exits with hammers, emergency lighting, and driver drowsiness warning systems.

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Why the government stepped in

The decision follows six reported sleeper bus fire accidents in the past few months, which together claimed 145 lives. In many of these cases, passengers were trapped due to narrow or blocked exits, highly flammable interior materials, missing emergency windows, and the absence of fire safety equipment. Poor design and substandard construction were common factors.

Crackdown on self-certification

Addressing the issue, Gadkari said he has written to the Rajasthan government, asking it to act against state transport officials who permitted self-certification by manual bus body builders. Such approvals, he said, bypass safety checks and put passenger lives at risk.

What the Bus Body Code mandates

At the centre of the reform is the Bus Body Code, known as AIS-052. This mandatory standard lays down clear requirements for structural strength, layout, materials, and safety features for all buses built in India. It was introduced to bring order to the largely unregulated bus body-building sector and to ensure consistent safety norms nationwide.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has already enforced a revised version of the Bus Body Code from September 1, 2025. The updated rules are aligned with international safety practices and are intended to prevent exactly the kind of design and quality lapses seen in recent accidents.

With stricter manufacturing controls and mandatory safety upgrades, the government hopes to reduce the risk of fatal fires and make long-distance bus travel safer for passengers.