The number of sleeper buses in Jharkhand is steadily rising. New buses are hitting the roads, and buses from other states are also operating in Jharkhand with valid permits. However, questions are being raised about the system regarding passenger safety standards. The condition of older sleeper buses, in particular, is alarming. Despite accidents involving sleeper buses in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, the administration in Ranchi and Jharkhand does not appear to have learned any lessons.
An investigation by *Jagran* revealed that many buses lack emergency exits that comply with prescribed safety standards. While some buses appear to have four exit points, a large number of them do not meet the required specifications. Furthermore, complaints have surfaced regarding luggage being stored near emergency exits—areas that must remain completely unobstructed during an emergency. The most significant issue concerns the fitness testing of these buses and the subsequent monitoring. Under the current system, fitness certification relies heavily on automated testing centers.
Meanwhile, instead of conducting direct fitness inspections as they used to, Motor Vehicle Inspectors (MVIs) are being deployed for other enforcement and administrative tasks within the Transport Department. With the direct role of officials experienced in assessing the technical condition of vehicles being reduced, it is natural to question the quality of oversight and verification at these automated centers.
If a Machine Declares a Bus ‘Fit,’ Does That Guarantee Complete Safety?
Automated testing centers use machines to inspect various technical aspects, including brakes, steering, and suspension. However, the safety of a sleeper bus is not limited to these technical components alone. Factors such as the internal berth layout, emergency exits, escape routes, roof hatches, fire detection and suppression systems, fire-retardant materials, and any unauthorized modifications made subsequently are crucial for passenger safety. Central regulations also incorporate visual and functional inspection aspects within the automated testing process.
For instance, if a bus has the prescribed number of emergency exits at the time of its fitness test, but luggage storage is subsequently arranged near one of those exits, how would a machine-based inspection detect this? Who would verify whether additional berths or partitions have been installed? This is precisely where direct supervision by a trained technical officer becomes vital.
**Pressure from Multiple Districts on Six Centers**
The limited number of fitness centers in the state faces the burden of inspecting thousands of vehicles from multiple districts. The Ranchi center, for example, receives vehicles not only from Ranchi but also from surrounding districts; similarly, centers in Hazaribagh and Dhanbad inspect vehicles from other districts. When a single center handles a large volume of vehicle inspections, quality control and independent monitoring become even more critical.
**Irregularities at Fitness Centers; One Sealed**
Instances of irregularities within the fitness inspection system have surfaced in the past. Allegations have been raised regarding the issuance of fitness certificates for vehicles actually impounded at police stations and the granting of fitness clearance without conducting the mandatory inspections. Action has been taken in such cases, and one fitness center has already been shut down—instances where vehicles were cleared for fitness while actually sitting in police custody.
This raises crucial questions: who is conducting regular monitoring of these centers, and at what level are the machine-generated results being cross-verified against the actual condition of the vehicle?
**One Vehicle, Varying Documents Across States**
The operational arrangements for sleeper buses are also under scrutiny. Often, a vehicle is registered in one state, holds a permit from another, and undergoes its fitness inspection in a third state. For instance, a vehicle might be registered in Bihar, hold a permit from Uttar Pradesh, and have undergone its fitness test in Rajasthan or another state.
The extent to which tractors or other vehicles travel to different states for fitness certification is also a matter worth investigating. Furthermore, a significant question remains regarding the effectiveness of checks—conducted while such vehicles are transporting passengers in Jharkhand—to verify the consistency between the documents and the vehicle’s actual condition.
Possessing a fitness certificate on paper and a bus actually being safe on the road are two different things. Regular inspections are essential to verify whether any modifications were made to the bus after the fitness test, whether emergency exits are functional, whether the number and configuration of berths align with the approved design, and whether fire safety systems are operational.
Have lessons been learned from accidents?
On September 24, nine passengers died when a sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida. Police investigations are examining issues such as non-functional emergency exits and passageways obstructed by luggage.
This makes it clear that a sleeper bus’s fitness entails more than just the proper functioning of brakes, tires, suspension, and headlights. The speed at which a passenger can exit the bus during a fire or other emergency is also a crucial aspect of fitness and safety.
Checking these standards is essential
Inspections of sleeper buses must pay special attention to body structure and dimensions, emergency exits, escape routes, roof escape hatches, berth layout and structural integrity, steps and handholds, gangways, fire alarm and suppression systems, fire-resistant materials, braking/steering/suspension systems, and any unauthorized modifications.
Questions are also being raised about the role of MVIs
Motor Vehicle Inspectors (MVIs) play a pivotal role in inspecting the technical condition of vehicles and taking action against rule violations. Now, however, as they are tasked with duties beyond fitness inspections…
