All city buses across the country manufactured from Oct 2026 onwards will be low-floor

NEW DELHI: All public buses meant for intra-city operation across the country manufactured from Oct 2026 onwards will be of low-floor, having ground clearance of 400 mm, which will make these more passenger friendly.

As per the draft notification issued this week, all such buses of new models manufactured on and after April 1, 2026 and existing models manufactured after Oct 1 “shall conform to the requirements of AIS-216, as amended from time to time”. It proposes that all these new buses with length 9-metre and above shall have floor height of 400 mm.

The ministry has issued the draft notification considering that the manufacturers are already producing such buses. “The ecosystem is in place for implementing this norm,” said an official.

High steps, narrow aisles, poor handholds, and cramped seating make boarding difficult, especially for elderly, women, children, and persons with disabilities in most of the city buses operating across the country. Though low-floor buses exist, many cities still operate high-floor or semi-low-floor buses due to lower upfront costs.

Officials said the compliance of Automotive Industry Standard (AIS-216), which provides a standardised set of rules for how bus bodies should be designed and tested so that they comply with legal safety and performance expectations, will make city buses safer.

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