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A new bus body code prepared by various government organizations that is to be implemented by the Ministry of Road transport and Highways will help bus passengers to have a more comfortable and safe ride as compared to the present condition. The organizations include the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (ASRTU) and the Society for Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
Under the new bus body code, features such as increased cabin space for drivers, increased space between two rows of seats, fire extinguishers, emergency exits, insulation of doors and windows as well as proper illumination and ventilation will be covered. The code will only be applicable to buses that are built or manufactured after October 1. Hence, the rule will not be valid for the current lot of 16 lakh buses that are plying on the Indian roads.
The types of buses include city buses, buses owned by state run corporations, tourist buses and private luxury buses. According to reports, almost two lakh buses are produced each year by the manufacturers or bus body builders. The government is said to have prepared a draft for the accreditation system that would enhance the manufacturing capability of the bus body builders. About 500 bus body builders have already been accredited till date. Bus body builders that do not have the approval cannot build buses or register with the RTO’s.
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The news comes barely a month after a major accident that took place on the Mumbai-Pune expressway claiming 17 lives. The incident occurred early on Sunday morning near Shedung, when a bus rammed into a stationary Maruti Suzuki Swift before hitting a Toyota Innova and taking it down a 20 feet gorge.
Source: ET Auto