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Made in China buses recalled for inspection

Updated on: 17 December,2011 07:24 AM IST |
A Correspondent |

Following consecutive technical snags reported in King Long buses, BEST recalls all 272 vehicles in its fleet for inspection

Following consecutive technical snags reported in King Long buses, BEST recalls all 272 vehicles in its fleet for inspection

The quality of China products has also been in question. And this time it's neither a toy nor an electronic gadget, but the giant King Long buses. Two days in a row, King Long bus developed a technical snag where the vehicle emitted smoke, thereby causing panic among the commuters.

"We'll check all the buses in the next two days. There had been three such incidents so far, and we feel that the source of the problem is the same in all cases," said OP Gupta, general manager, BEST. The authorities claim that these buses are comparatively newer and an upgraded version of the existing King Long buses.

Explaining how the vehicle may have developed the hitch, a BEST official said, "Friction is caused each time a driver applies the brakes. I guess due to the heat caused by the extensive friction, the grease would have got exhausted. This may have lead to smoke."

Besides, sources say that the buses may not have undergone the regular maintenance, which is necessary for a bus completing 40,000 km.

All smoke
On Wednesday, two different instances were reported where the King Long buses emitted smoke. The first incident occurred in Vakola, while the other at Vashi. The buses were sent to Deonar and Wadala depots respectively for inspection.

Another bus, number 503 (Wadala to Kalamboli), emitted smoke as it reached the Vashi flyover. The passengers alighted the bus, which was then taken to Deonar bus depot.

Rs 65 lakh
Average cost of an air-conditioned King Long bus

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