NHRC flags ‘life-threatening’ bus design flaws, seeks crackdown on unsafe public transport
New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has written to the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories over a complaint highlighting potentially deadly design flaws in public transport buses, raising alarm over passenger safety and systemic negligence in vehicle approval.
The Commission’s letter responds to a complaint linked to the fatal sleeper bus fire of October 14, 2025, on the Jaisalmer–Jodhpur highway in Rajasthan.
A subsequent inspection by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) found violations of mandatory AIS-052 and AIS-119 safety standards, including the absence of fire suppression systems and improperly designed internal partitions.
According to the NHRC, “The complainant alleged that a recurring and fatal flaw in the design of public transport buses is endangering the lives of passengers. Specifically, the driver’s cabin in certain buses is completely separated from the passenger compartment, which prevents timely detection of fires and communication during emergencies. The complaint refers to recent incidents where passenger buses caught fire mid-journey, leading to preventable deaths.”
The complainant has argued that such unsafe designs constitute a violation of the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution, while also pointing to systemic lapses by bus manufacturers and approving authorities.
The letter states that the complaint seeks urgent intervention “to mandate safety design improvements, fix accountability and ensure compensation to affected victims and families.”
Following this, the NHRC Registry has been directed to issue notices to the Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and the Director, Central Institute of Road Transport in Pune.
They have been asked to conduct an enquiry into the allegations and submit an Action Taken Report within two weeks for the Commission’s review.
The NHRC has also asked MoRTH to ensure nationwide enforcement of safety norms, initiate state-level recalls of all non-compliant buses, and direct criminal investigations into negligence by approving officials.
It has further sought compensation mechanisms for victims and their families in order to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies.
AIS-052 and AIS-119, developed by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, are mandatory standards that define structural and fire safety requirements for buses operating in India.