In the past eight years, Delhi has witnessed a total of thirty bus fires, with four incidents reported this year alone, according to data compiled by the city government on fire-related incidents involving Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses.
A report from the transport department identified short-circuits as the predominant cause of these fires, particularly in buses that were approximately 12 years old. The Delhi government relayed this information to the Assembly on Monday.
The breakdown of fire incidents by year is as follows: four in the current year, seven in the previous year, two in 2021, and one in 2020. In 2019, six buses were involved in fire incidents, with one each in 2017 and 2018. The data indicates five buses caught fire in 2015 and three in 2016.
Over the years, the transport department has established various committees to investigate the root causes of these fires. The common factors identified include short circuits, engine overheating, and drivers reporting technical issues that remain unaddressed. Some instances were also attributed to poor maintenance by the service providers.
An official revealed that efforts are underway to phase out older buses and introduce electric ones. In a recent development, 500 electric buses were added to the fleet, bringing the total number of electric buses in the national capital to 1,300. As per the Delhi government’s plan, electric buses are expected to constitute 80 percent of the fleet by 2025. This initiative aims to enhance safety and reduce the incidence of fire-related incidents in the public transportation system.
(With PTI inputs)
