NEW DELHI: As most sleeper coaches and long-haul buses remain outside the ambit of the mandatory Bus Body Code that came into effect in September 2025, providing an easy escape for operators and local transport authorities, the government is set to issue a mandatory checklist of safety features that regional transport offices (RTOs) must verify while renewing registration and fitness certificates.
Road transport minister Nitin Gadkari this week held a meeting on the recent bus fire incidents in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, and directed officials to take necessary steps, including writing to state govts for stricter enforcement and compliance of notified norms by transport departments.
TOI has learnt that the checklist — aimed at preventing mishaps like fires and ensuring faster evacuation of passengers in emergencies — will include provisions such as a minimum 450 mm passageway, at least four emergency doors, fire-resistant electrical equipment and wiring, two fire extinguishers, a fire detection and suppression system (FDSS), and hammers at each berth to break glass windows during emergencies.
Sources said other items on the checklist include provisions for fixing yellow reflective tapes along the edge of the passageway and retro-reflective tapes on all borders of the inside face of emergency doors.
While several of these provisions — forming part of the Automotive Industry Standards — were notified in phases since 2016 and came into force after March 2017, their enforcement remains a challenge.
Officials added that since these norms are already in place, and with additional requirements such as mandatory emergency lighting of the passageway and removal of partition doors between driver and passenger sections from July this year, these features can be included in the checklist for older buses when they come for fitness tests and renewal of registration.
Compliance with the Bus Body Code was voluntary before Sept 2025, and RTOs granted permissions based on self-declarations submitted by body builders claiming adherence to the norms. However, from Sept onwards, all fully built buses with seating capacity exceeding 22 passengers require type approval from govt-recognised testing agencies, and self-certification is no longer permitted.
Meanwhile, in an appeal, the Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI) urged its members not to shy away from taking responsibility for fire incidents by giving lame excuses, but instead to take immediate corrective measures. “If we don’t take due care of passenger safety, the survival of private bus operations — and of sleeper coaches in general — will be at risk,” BOCI chief Prasanna Patwardhan said, appealing to members to adhere strictly to the Bus Body Code and ensure full compliance with all legal requirements.
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