64 killed in 45 bus fire incidents over 3 years, Rajasthan worst hit: Centre
At least 45 people were killed in bus fire incidents in Rajasthan during the period, according to data from the Electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) system
New Delhi: The Union government on Wednesday said that 64 people were killed in 45 incidents of buses catching fire while in operation over the last three years till December 10, with Rajasthan recording the highest number of fatalities.
At least 45 people were killed in bus fire incidents in Rajasthan during the period, according to data from the Electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) system.
The report also said that Maharashtra recorded the highest number of bus fire incidents—nine—followed by Madhya Pradesh with eight. Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka each reported six bus fire incidents over the same three-year period.
Rajya Sabha by Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari presented the report while replying to a question on the rising number of such incidents raised by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha lawmaker Narain Dass Gupta.
The reply mentioned that the figures do not include a recent crash in which a bus collided with a motorcycle and subsequently caught fire on October 24, 2025, in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, resulting in 25 fatalities.
A massive pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura claimed 13 lives, most of them charred to death after vehicles caught fire, on Monday. Eight buses and three smaller vehicles travelling from Agra towards Gautam Buddha Nagar collided with each other at the 127-km milestone near Baldev town in Mathura when visibility dropped sharply due to dense fog.
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As part of its reply, the government said the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has taken several steps to improve bus safety, including revising Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 119 norms in 2016.
The changes mandated under the rule include equipping buses with two fire extinguishers with a total capacity of 10 kg—one near the driver and the other in the passenger compartment—mandating four exits for buses up to 12 metres in length and one additional exit for longer buses; installation of a fire detection and suppression system in engines; and no separation between the passenger and driver compartments for all types of buses.
Further, through another notification issued in March 2024 (effective from September 2025), the government mandated that these rules should also apply to buses built by non-OEM (original equipment manufacturer) bus body builders for vehicles with a passenger capacity above 22.