IIT-Delhi sets up 6-member committee to probe fire incidents in buses

IIT-Delhi experts will enquire the recent incidents of bus fires and have recommended the names of six people who will serve as members of the committee, an official statement said.

The recommendation of the names of the experts came in the aftermath of directions from Delhi Minister Kailash Gahlot to the Transport Department to constitute a committee to enquire into the incidents of fire in buses.

The committee will be chaired by Professor Anjan Ray, Department of Mechanical Engineering, and comprise experts from multiple departments, including Mechanical, Electrical, and Chemical Engineering, as well as the Centre for Automotive Research, the statement read.

"The safety of passengers is our top priority. These unfortunate incidents underline the need for thorough investigation and immediate preventive steps. The committee formed in collaboration with IIT-Delhi will bring in the necessary expertise to help us identify the root causes and ensure the safe operation of public transport buses in Delhi. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi government is determined to ensure safe travel of passengers," Gahlot said in a statement.

The committee will investigate the causes of both electric and CNG bus fires and assess the role of bus maintenance in these incidents, the statement read.

It will also recommend technological interventions to alert drivers in case of potential fires and will be involved in identifying the training needs for drivers and conductors to handle emergencies. It will also be proposing preventive measures to avoid such incidents in the future.

The committee is expected to submit its interim report within three weeks and the final report within eight weeks from the date of its formation.

The committee comprises Ray of the Department of Mechanical Engineering as chairperson, and the other members include A K Saroha, Department of Chemical Engineering, Krishnakant Agrawal, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sumit Kumar Pramanick, Department of Electrical Engineering, Saurabh Saxena, Centre for Automotive Research and Tribology, and Rahul Goel, Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre, who will serve as Member-Convenor.

In May this year, an electric bus caught fire while on August 29 a CNG bus operating under the cluster scheme had caught fire. No injuries were reported as passengers were safely evacuated.

Gahlot had directed the formation of a Multi-Disciplinary Committee, in collaboration with IIT Delhi, to investigate the causes and recommend preventive measures. He had earlier, said a technical analysis of buses would help avoid such incidents.