The Transport Minister reviewed the preliminary findings from the incidents and instructed officials to implement enhanced safety protocols without delay.
Photo: SNS
Delhi Transport Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh on Monday chaired a review meeting in the wake of recent fire incidents involving Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses including one CNG bus and two electric buses emphasising that passenger and staff safety is the highest priority.
The Transport Minister reviewed the preliminary findings from the incidents and instructed officials to implement enhanced safety protocols without delay.
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Dr. Singh directed that the entire fleet of manufacturers whose buses were involved in the fire incidents undergo a full safety protocol audit. In addition, buses found with battery heating concerns must adopt reduced-voltage charging to minimise risk and extend battery life.
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He instructed that a comprehensive set of measures be undertaken, including stricter preventive maintenance, deeper technical audits of CNG and electric buses, strengthening of low-voltage wiring systems, real-time monitoring of battery health, inverter temperature, and ripple current, as well as improving fire-suppression systems in engine and battery compartments.
“The recent fire incidents in one CNG and two electric buses are a matter of serious concern. We must ensure that every bus operating in Delhi meets the highest safety standards. I have directed officials to adopt a zero-tolerance approach toward any lapse in safety and maintenance,” he said.
He also asked officials to enhance emergency-response readiness across all depots and called for the immediate integration of the detailed recommendations submitted by the IIT Delhi expert committee.
As part of the enhanced safety roadmap, the Minister instructed that buses crossing 200 charging cycles must undergo complete maintenance checks covering overcharging, overheating, and compact-area diagnosis.
He emphasised the need for routine documentation of maintenance checks, telematics-based diagnostics to identify abnormalities, and upskilling of depot technicians to align with advanced safety standards.
The Minister further directed DTC to standardise isolation distances during EV charging, improve fire hydrant availability at depots, and ensure timely replacement of aging components to reduce the risk of system failures.
According to the Minister, “The expert recommendations from IIT Delhi—including improving low-voltage wiring robustness, enhancing fire-suppression systems, strengthening battery management oversight, and ensuring real-time data monitoring—will be fully incorporated into our action plan.”
“All agencies have been instructed to take immediate corrective measures, carry out rigorous preventive checks, and enhance monitoring mechanisms so that such incidents do not recur. Our priority is to make every bus on Delhi’s roads safe, reliable, and future-ready,” he added.
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