A school A bus carrying 15 children caught fire in Tulja Bhawaninagar of Kharadi Thursday afternoon, raising concerns about safety measures on such vehicles. While the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) has confirmed that the documents of the bus are valid and in order.
The RTO team inspected the school bus of Phoenix World School and checked for expired permits, incorrect registration details and failure to meet fitness or insurance standards but found no discrepancies in the bus documents.
Deputy RTO Officer Swapnil Bhosle verified all the documents related to the bus and found them to be in proper order. The vehicle, which was registered in 2015, met the criteria prescribed under the Motor Vehicle Act (MVA).
“The bus was in good condition, and no evidence suggested that the driver was operating it illegally. However, the cause of the fire is yet to be determined. School buses are required to be equipped with fire safety equipment,” he said.
Discussing the fire safety of buses, Bhosle mentioned the new General Safety Rules (GSR) introduced last year, which mandated Fire Alarm and Protection System (FAPS) in buses. “GSR 137 (A), which came into effect in October last year, states that Type III buses (including long-distance school buses) must have FAPS in the occupant compartment,” he said.
He said FAPs will work like systems installed in malls and hotels, which can detect fire incidents immediately. “Real-time fire detection helps prevent accidents. However, in this case, the bus was manufactured in 2015 so it does not fall under the new GSR norms,” added Bhosle.
Buses built before 2023 must have basic fire safety equipment such as fire extinguishers near the driver’s seat, emergency exits to evacuate passengers, and basic fire training for drivers.
Bhosle said that from this month, the RTO will conduct regular campaigns to inspect buses and ensure compliance with RTO rules. He said that out of 1,503 vehicles inspected from January to November this year, 601 school vehicles were found to have violated the rules and were fined Rs 21 lakh 99 thousand by the RTO and the court.
Click here to join Express Pune Whatsapp Channel And get a curated list of our stories