After 3 Fire Incidents, Delhi Govt Orders DTC To Conduct Safety Overhaul Of CNG & Electric Buses

The Delhi government on Monday ordered a comprehensive safety overhaul of DTC buses running on CNG and electricity after three fire incidents were reported in the last few weeks.

Delhi transport minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh directed immediate adoption of IIT Delhi’s recommendations, full fleet audits of implicated manufacturers, and stricter maintenance and battery-health protocols.

Earlier this month, a DTC bus caught fire in southwest Delhi’s Dhaula Kuan, while two such incidents were reported last month – one in Mori Gate and another in Majnu Ka Tila. Although no lives were lost, some passengers were injured in these fires.

Singh said all agencies have been instructed to take immediate corrective measures, conduct rigorous preventive checks,

and enhance monitoring mechanisms to prevent such incidents. The priority is to make every bus on Delhi roads safe, reliable, and future-ready, he said.

“The recent fire incidents in one CNG and two electric buses are a matter of serious concern. We must ensure that every bus operating in Delhi meets the highest safety standards. I have directed officials to adopt a zero-tolerance approach toward any lapse in safety and maintenance,” Singh said.

He issued strict directives to strengthen safety protocols with a special focus on CNG and electric buses after a review of the fire incidents. He told officials to implement enhanced safety protocols without delay, including stricter preventive maintenance, deeper technical audits of CNG and electric buses, strengthening of low-voltage wiring systems, real-time monitoring of battery health, inverter temperature, and ripple current, improving fire-suppression systems in engine and battery compartments, and enhancing emergency-response readiness across depots.

Singh called for the immediate integration of the detailed recommendations submitted by the IIT Delhi expert committee. As part of the enhanced safety roadmap, he said buses crossing 200 charging cycles must undergo complete maintenance checks covering overcharging, overheating, and compact-area diagnosis.

He directed that the entire fleet of manufacturers whose buses were involved in fire incidents be subjected to a full safety protocol audit. In addition, buses found with battery heating concerns must adopt reduced-voltage charging to minimise risk and extend battery health.

The minister stressed on the need for routine documentation of maintenance checks, telematics-based diagnostics to identify abnormalities, and upskilling of depot technicians to align with advanced safety standards. He directed the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to standardise isolation distances during EV charging, improve fire-hydrant availability at depots, and ensure timely replacement of aging components to reduce risks of system failures.