NHRC directs countrywide removal of ‘illegal’ sleeper coaches, flags structural violations for fatal bus fires

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a sweeping national directive to all States and Union Territories to identify and remove sleeper buses that violate approved safety standards.

In its order, the Commission called recent incidents of bus fires ‘criminal negligence’ and cited systemic failures in manufacturing, inspection, and certification. The order was issued after a detailed complaint regarding a fatal sleeper bus fire in Rajasthan.

During its hearing, the NHRC noted that many sleeper coaches across India continue to operate with illegal structural modifications, including fully sealed driver cabins that block communication during emergencies and prevent early detection of fires.

The complainant alleged that such practices have repeatedly led to preventable deaths and violate the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

NHRC Directs MoRTH to Enforce Full Compliance

The Commission instructed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to ensure nationwide enforcement of AIS:052 and AIS:119 during bus registration, renewal and inspection, and to develop a mechanism preventing operators or manufacturers from bypassing mandatory safety norms.

All Chief Secretaries have been asked to recall and rectify unsafe sleeper coaches, install FDSS, remove structural violations, verify bus body builder accreditation, and fix accountability on officials who approved non-compliant vehicles. States have also been directed to provide compensation and support to victims of past incidents arising from preventable negligence.

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Multiple Recent Bus Fires Raise Concerns

The NHRC action comes amid several major bus fires reported in recent months. Earlier this month, an OSRTC bus travelling from Vizianagaram to Jeypore was gutted near Salur ghat in Koraput. All 16 passengers escaped unharmed, with preliminary reports suggesting an electrical short circuit.

In another severe incident on October 24, a sleeper coach operated by V-Kaveri Travels caught fire in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district after colliding with a motorcycle. Nineteen passengers and the motorcycle rider died, and several others were injured. The bus was carrying 44 passengers and two drivers at the time.