The government has made important changes to the registration rules for new sleeper buses to improve passenger safety. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said that no new sleeper bus will receive registration without proper physical and video inspections of firefighting systems and emergency exits under the revised Bus Body Code. The decision comes after several incidents of buses catching fire in recent years. To reduce such accidents, the government has also decided that sleeper buses can now only be manufactured by automobile companies or plants approved by the central government. These new rules are aimed at making bus travel safer for passengers across the country.
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What Did Nitin Gadkari Say?
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said at the Busworld India Conclave 2026 that passenger safety in buses is extremely important. He informed that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has already implemented the revised Bus Body Code from September 1, 2025. Under the new safety rules, every sleeper bus will go through a detailed inspection, and the reports will be uploaded on the ‘Vahan’ portal. Gadkari said that new sleeper coach buses will not get registration without physical and video inspection of important safety features such as firefighting systems, emergency exits with safety hammers, and emergency lights. India’s Bus Body Code, known as AIS-052, is a mandatory safety standard for all bus bodies manufactured in the country. It sets important rules related to safety, structural strength, and bus design to improve passenger protection and reduce accidents.
Tragic Bus Accidents and Safety Equipments
In the last few years, India has witnessed several tragic long-distance bus accidents in which hundreds of people lost their lives. Many of these incidents involved buses catching fire, making rescue operations extremely difficult. In several cases, passengers were unable to escape because the buses did not have proper fire fighting systems or functional emergency exits. The absence of safety equipment and emergency arrangements turned many accidents into major tragedies. Keeping these incidents in mind, the government is now focusing on improving passenger safety in sleeper buses. New rules have been introduced to ensure that buses are equipped with fire fighting systems, emergency lights, and emergency exits before they receive registration approval. The government’s main aim is to prevent such deadly accidents in the future and protect passengers during emergencies. These stricter safety measures are expected to make long-distance bus travel safer and reduce the risk of loss of life in accidents.
