BENGALURU: The state government has made it mandatory for buses, both government and private, and school vehicles to install fire extinguishers. The move comes after a KSRTC bus caught fire near Nelamangala. One woman died in the incident.
Necessary instructions in this regard have been issued to KSRTC, BMTC and private bus operators. It will be made mandatory for freight carrying vehicles like trucks too to prevent fire accidents during travel, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said here on Thursday.
The minister, however, said that it will take some time for the state-owned transport corporations to install fire extinguishers in all the buses as they have a total fleet strength of at least 24,000 buses. Tenders will be invited soon for procuring the firefighting equipment. “I have asked the officials to initiate the process without any delay. Private bus operators will be given time to install fire extinguishers in all the buses,” he said.
Fire due to puja material?
Referring to the recent incident of fire in a KSRTC bus that caused the death of a woman, the minister ruled out mechanical fault in the engine, friction with the tyres or diesel leak as the cause for the fire accident. According to preliminary investigation reports, puja materials like camphor and incense sticks that were being carried in the bus are suspected to have triggered the fire, Reddy said.
Replying to a question about improving BMTC services in Bengaluru, Reddy said 1,650 new buses are being inducted into service by March end, of which 150 will be Volvo luxury buses. Apart from this, KSRTC will get about 3,000 new buses to augment its fleet.