Delhi govt forms committee to look into incidents of fire in DTC buses

4 incidents of fire in DTC buses in the last two months have been reported, raising safety concerns of the passengers and staff, said a note issued by Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot

With recent incidents of DTC buses catching fire in different parts of the city, the transport department of Delhi government on Thursday set up a six-member committee to find out their root cause.

Four incidents of fire in Delhi Transport Corporation buses in the last two months have been reported, raising safety concerns of the passengers and staff, said a note issued by Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.

"It is considered essential to constitute a committee to investigate the recent incidents of fire in DTC buses, identify the root causes, review the modalities of repair and maintenance, scrutiny and checks of buses at the various levels of officials and suggest the remedial measures," said the note.

The six-member committee that includes special commissioner (operations), vice president (road transport) of DIMTS, and an expert from IIT Delhi, will submit an interim report within 15 days of its constitution and final report within 30 days.

A fleet of 3,762 DTC buses has completed end of life' period that is 12 years. Most of these buses, over 2,600, were procured by the transport department in 2010. Last year, the department had decided to extend the life of DTC buses for three years hiring private contractors for maintenance.