Pune buses to be fire-ready

Recent fires in buses prompt plans to install fire extinguishers in PMPML vehicles

Three fires in two days have finally woken up the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) to the susceptibility of their buses to fire. They will soon install fire extinguishers in all their buses. Of them, 500 buses have already been fitted with the extinguishing cylinders.

On Monday, a bus caught fire at University main gate, Balgandharva Rangmadi Chowk, while on Tuesday passengers escaped unhurt, as two buses at J M Road and Yerawada unexpectedly caught fire. The cause of the fire in all the cases was short circuit. The loss to the PMPML was estimated to be about Rs 70,000 for each bus. The driver's cabin was completely destroyed in one of the buses.

Even though no one was injured in the fire, concern has been raised over the safety of passengers. So, the PMPML has decided to install fire extinguishers in all its 1,200 buses.

Jugal Rathi, RTI activist and president of PMPML Pravasi Sangh, a commuters' body, alleged that one of the buses was old and had been running on the roads without proper RTO clearance. "The PMPML cannot risk the life of passengers. In fact, there have been six incidents of such fires in the last six months," he said.u00a0

Satish Kulkarni, joint managing director, PMPML, refuted the charges. "Such incidents are rare. We do not want to take any chances and have plans to install fire-fighting equipment in the buses. A proposal will be kept before the PMPML committee," Kulkarni said. "The 500 new buses bought under the JNNURM scheme have already been retrofitted with fire-fighting gas cylinder system."u00a0

S M Burse, chief engineer, PMPML, said that at least 600 buses now had fiber hood covering the engine near the driver's seat. Earlier, the hoods were made of iron. "The engine oil oozes on to the hood and even slight sparks can cause fire. We will take care to clean these fibre hoods to prevent any fire," he said.