Emergency exit doors for buses compulsory in Karnataka

BELGAUM: The Karnataka government has issued stern warning to private bus operators by giving three-months deadline to fix emergency doors in their vehicles.

Replying to Raghunathrao Malkapure (BJP), transport minister Ramalinga Reddy told the legislative council that the government would withdraw the transport permits if the operators fail to fix emergency doors in tourist buses.

Malkapure, supported by others, doubted the makers of the bus Volvo and alleged that the fault in the make was responsible for the two bus accidents that occurred in November which claimed nearly 58 lives.

Reddy said the drivers fault and commercial goods was mainly responsible for the fire and the state government has ordered a probe by New Delhi-based National Automative Testing and Research & Development Infrastructure Project (NATRIP). "The agency is expected to give a report very shortly," he said.

On the measures taken, the minister said the department since last one month has taken up regular checks on the buses and have been penalized for loading commercial goods in the passenger vehicles. "Drivers and conductors have been instructed to announce safety guidelines and also about emergency exits to the passengers in the buses. This is modeled on the safety instructions given in the airplanes," Reddy said.

He also said the operators have been told to maintain trip sheets. Other guidelines include three copies of passengers trip sheets should be prepared, driver's duty hours should not exceed eight hours, first aid kit and fire extinguishers must be there in the bus.