Bus transport industry leaders call for stronger enforcement accountability for safety
Fires in buses spark concern over safety gaps in buses
Recent bus fire incidents have been caused by electrical alterations, overloading, and poor maintenance
IntrCity SmartBus, a bus transport network, has partnered with coachbuilders MG Group and S M Kannappa Automobiles asking for urgent action to address critical safety gaps following recent bus fire incidents.
Recent bus fire incidents have been caused by electrical alterations, overloading, and poor maintenance
Days after fires killed dozens of bus passengers in separate incidents, some bus transport industry stakeholders have joined hands in asking for strict enforcement of safety rules and called for setting up a National Bus Safety Code which all providers of bus transport must strictly adhere to.
In a press statement, IntrCity SmartBus, a bus transport provider, has joined hands with coachbuilders MG Group and S M Kannappa Automobiles to address key safety gaps highlighted by recent bus fire incidents across the country.
Together, they have released a technical white paper titled Bus Safety Standards in India: Facts, Advancements & the Road Ahead, calling for a shift from rules on paper to stronger enforcement on the ground.
The statement adds that the white paper comes at a crucial time, as India’s intercity mobility sector faces public scrutiny over passenger safety and infrastructure gaps. The document brings together insights from certified coach builders the engineers who design and build most of India’s buses and points out that while the country’s AIS safety standards are strong, the real challenges lie in uneven compliance and weak inspection practices.
It adds that many recent bus fire incidents have been caused by electrical alterations, overloading, and poor maintenance. IntrCity SmartBus emphasised that it works only with certified, compliant manufacturers to ensure all partner fleets adhere to approved safety norms.
The company has proposed the creation of a National Bus Safety Code and called for uniform enforcement by all state transport authorities. It has also recommended mandatory safety announcements for passengers on long-haul routes and stressed the importance of regular awareness programmes for drivers, operators, and passengers to build a strong safety-first culture across the intercity bus sector.
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According to the statement, industry experts who contributed to the paper include Vaibhav Narang, Director, S M Kannappa Automobiles, and Prasad Chougal, Design Engineering Head and Sivakumar President, Strategy and Sales, of MG Group, emphasised the urgent need for nationwide safety enforcement.
“The standards exist they are not the problem. What is missing is accountability. Operators must treat compliance not as an option but as a responsibility to every passenger on board,” says Narang.
“IntrCity SmartBus’ vision is to make long-distance bus travel safer, standardised, and transparent. With this white paper, we want to bring clarity to the conversation by putting facts, engineering insights, and on-ground realities at the centre. Our goal is to shift the discussion toward practical steps the industry can take today from better compliance to stronger oversight so that safety becomes a built-in expectation for every passenger, not an afterthought,” says Dinesh Rathi, VP Bus Transformation Team, IntrCity SmartBus.
“Safety should never be traded for lower costs. India can meet European safety levels if adherence becomes non-negotiable,” says MG Group team.
