The Andhra Pradesh government is considering a ban on private sleeper buses, officials said on Wednesday, adding that the move was a result of a spate of recent serious accidents involving such vehicles.
The Cabinet sub-committee, constituted by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to review measures to prevent bus accidents, took up the matter for discussion on Tuesday. State Transport Minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy and Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha were present.
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Most of the private sleeper buses currently in service were converted vehicles rather than factory-built models, officials present told the subcommittee, citing lax compliance with structural and safety standards, including lack of adequate emergency exits and poor ventilation.
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“In the first phase, the state government is considering the possibility of banning non-factory manufactured sleeper buses. We will approach the Center seeking regulatory intervention to either restrict or prohibit operations of unsafe sleeper buses,” Reddy said.
At the same time, the government is implementing a series of safety measures with immediate effect, he added. It includes organizing travel time based on the distance between the origin and destination points. “If the bus arrives before the specified time, it will not be allowed to enter the city,” the minister said, adding that the move aims to discourage speeding. Private buses operating on routes longer than 300 km will require two drivers.
