The Union government on Wednesday said that at least 64 people lost their lives in 45 incidents of bus fires during operation in the last three years (till December 10).
Rajasthan recorded the highest number of fatalities, 45, in bus fires during this period, while Maharashtra reported the highest number of total incidents, nine, as recorded on the Electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) system. Madhya Pradesh saw eight such incidents, while Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka saw six such incidents each in the same three-year period.
The details were presented in the Rajya Sabha by Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari while replying to a question on the rising number of such incidents by AAP Rajya Sabha MP Narain Dass Gupta.
The above figures do not include the crash on October 24, 2025, in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, which involved a bus catching fire after colliding with a motorcycle, resulting in 25 fatalities, the reply mentioned.
The government, as part of the reply, said the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) has taken several steps concerning bus safety, including revising AIS 119 norms, which define safety and construction standards for sleeper bus coaches, in 2016. Changes mandated as part of this rule included equipping buses with two units of fire extinguishers with a total capacity of 10 kg; one unit near the driver, and the other in the passenger compartment, mandating four exits for uses up to 12 metres in length and one additional exit for longer buses; installation of a fire detection and suppression system in engines; no separation between passenger and driver compartment for all type of buses.
{{/usCountry}}The government, as part of the reply, said the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) has taken several steps concerning bus safety, including revising AIS 119 norms, which define safety and construction standards for sleeper bus coaches, in 2016. Changes mandated as part of this rule included equipping buses with two units of fire extinguishers with a total capacity of 10 kg; one unit near the driver, and the other in the passenger compartment, mandating four exits for uses up to 12 metres in length and one additional exit for longer buses; installation of a fire detection and suppression system in engines; no separation between passenger and driver compartment for all type of buses.
{{/usCountry}}Further, through another notification in March 2024 (effective from September 2025), the government mandated that these rules should apply to buses built by Non-OEMS (Original Equipment Manufacturers) bus body builders as well for vehicles with a passenger capacity above 22.