New Delhi, Nov. 24 -- Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh on Monday directed officials to roll out a comprehensive upgrade of safety protocols across the DTC bus fleet.
The minister reviewed recent fire incidents involving a DTC CNG bus and two electric buses on Monday, in a meeting attended by senior officials from the Transport Department, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), and representatives of bus manufacturers.
Officials briefed the minister on preliminary findings, following which he instructed the immediate roll out of stricter preventive maintenance, deeper technical audits of CNG and electric buses, improved low-voltage wiring systems, and real-time monitoring of battery health, inverter temperature, and ripple current, according to an official statement. He further ordered enhancements to fire-suppression systems in both engine and battery compartments and directed all depots to strengthen emergency-response preparedness. Singh also asked DTC to integrate the recommendations submitted by an IIT-Delhi expert committee into a detailed safety action plan.
As part of the upgraded protocol, buses that have crossed 200 charging cycles will undergo full maintenance checks for overcharging, overheating, and compact-area faults. Manufacturers whose vehicles were involved in fire incidents will face a complete safety audit, he said. Stressing the need for "zero tolerance" toward lapses, the minister instructed the corporation to use telematics-based diagnostics to detect abnormalities, maintain thorough documentation of checks, and upskill depot technicians to meet advanced safety standards.
He also directed DTC to standardise isolation distances at charging areas, improve fire-hydrant availability at depots, and ensure timely replacement of ageing components.
"The recent fire incidents in one CNG and two electric buses are a matter of serious concern. Every bus must meet the highest safety standards," Singh said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.