Sleeper coach buses only to be manufactured by govt-accredited facilities: Gadkari

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has introduced new measures requiring all sleeper coach buses to be manufactured only by automobile companies or facilities accredited by the central government. This decision comes after a series of fire accidents involving sleeper coaches in the past six months, which caused 145 deaths.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the government aims to reduce fire accidents by ensuring that sleeper coach buses are produced by accredited manufacturers. The ministry has also ordered that existing sleeper coach buses be retrofitted with fire detection systems, emergency exits equipped with hammers, emergency lighting, and driver drowsiness indicators.

The Bus Body Code of India, known as AIS-052, remains mandatory for safety, structural, and design standards for all bus bodies made in the country. The revised code has been in effect since September 1, 2025.

These measures address safety issues found in recent accidents, such as flammable interiors, blocked or narrow exits, faulty emergency windows, lack of fire safety equipment, limited evacuation time, and inadequately trained staff.

The minister also stated that he has written to the Rajasthan government to take action against state transport officials who allowed self-certification by manual bus body builders.

The updated regulations aim to improve uniformity and passenger safety in the sleeper coach segment by enforcing stricter manufacturing and retrofitting standards.