Odisha To Cancel Permits Of Buses Flouting Fire Safety Norms

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to cancel the fitness certificate and route permit of buses without fire safety devices.

The decision came in the wake of a fire in a stationary bus at Baramunda bus here on Thursday.

On Friday night, Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Pradip Kumar Mohanty met private bus owners to discuss the issue. “The bus owners have been categorically told to keep fire extinguishers in their buses for the safety of passengers. The fitness licence and route permit of a bus will be cancelled immediately if the fire extinguisher is not found in the vehicle during inspection,” Mohanty told the media after the meeting.

On their part, the owners of private buses have urged the government to deploy fire services personnel at bus stands in the state and create awareness about fire safety norms.