VIJAYAWADA: In the wake of the Kurnool bus tragedy that claimed 19 lives, the Andhra Pradesh Transport Department launched a massive statewide enforcement drive on Sunday to curb violations by private travel operators.
The special operation, conducted across all districts, led to 361 cases being booked for various offences, while 40 private buses were seized for serious irregularities. The move follows the fatal accident near Chinnatekuru in Kurnool district, where a sleeper bus of Vemuri Kaveri Travels caught fire after a collision, exposing grave lapses in safety standards and regulatory violations.
During the inspections, officials targeted buses that were illegally modified from seating to sleeper coaches without approval, lacked fire safety gear, or operated with expired fitness certificates and documents.
Many operators were also found running interstate services on invalid All India Permits. Transport officials revealed that several buses did not have emergency exits or fire extinguishers, and some had faulty wiring and freight carriages, posing severe risks to passengers. They flagged untrained drivers and poor maintenance as major concerns.
“We cannot allow private operators to play with people’s lives. Strict legal action, including permit cancellation, will be taken against violators,” Transport Commissioner Manish Kumar Sinha warned.
He directed all Regional Transport Offices to intensify inspections at bus depots, check-posts and highways to ensure all sleeper coaches comply with Central Motor Vehicle Rules.