After the tragic coaching accident in Lucknow and the fierce fire that engulfed a roadways bus in Kishangarh, Rajasthan's transport department has gone on high alert. With strict scrutiny already underway on fire safety at the state's coaching centres, attention has now turned to government buses. When the ground reality of Rajasthan Roadways buses was checked at Sindhi Camp, the state's largest bus terminal in Jaipur, the picture turned out to be half reassuring and half worrying.
The inspection made it clear that every new bus in the Roadways fleet has a fire extinguisher installed as a mandatory measure. These are fully ready to bring a fire under control in any emergency. The trouble lies with the old and condemned buses. These rundown vehicles had no arrangement to deal with fire, raising a direct question mark over passenger safety.
What the Transport Minister Said
Transport Minister Premchand Bairwa expressed satisfaction over the matter, saying the department is serious about passenger safety and that the fire safety system is working properly in most buses. He also acknowledged the shortcomings in older buses. Bairwa said, ‘The old buses that do not have a fire safety system will soon be declared condemned and taken out of the Roadways fleet. There will be no compromise with passengers' lives.’
Special Training for Drivers and Conductors
Sindhi Camp depot manager Rakesh Rai explained that merely installing equipment is not enough; using it at the right moment matters just as much. For this reason, the Roadways administration is giving drivers and conductors special fire safety training from time to time, so that in the event of a short circuit or any mishap they can act quickly and put out the fire with presence of mind.
Closing the Gap Remains a Big Challenge
Many old and condemned buses were found without fire extinguishers. The Roadways administration claims drivers and conductors are regularly trained in fire safety, disaster management and firefighting, so that passenger safety can be ensured during an emergency. While the Transport Minister has voiced satisfaction with the current setup, removing the shortage of safety equipment in older buses remains the biggest challenge. Learning a lesson from the coaching tragedies, this check on buses is the need of the hour.
