Dehradun: Passengers travelling from Dehradun to Delhi had a close call on Monday morning when a tyre of a Uttarakhand Transport Corporation bus caught fire on the Dehradun-Delhi Expressway.
The bus, which had departed from ISBT Dehradun for Delhi, was travelling on the expressway when smoke suddenly began coming from one of its tyres. The tyre soon caught fire, prompting panic among the passengers.
The driver immediately stopped the bus and, along with the conductor, evacuated all passengers safely. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Bus number UK 07 PA 5202 left ISBT Dehradun at around 6 am on Monday. According to passengers, the bus had not been travelling at its normal speed from the beginning of the journey.
Around 7 am, nearly an hour after leaving Dehradun, the bus reached the Dehradun-Delhi Expressway shortly after Shakumbhari Chowk. It was then that passengers noticed smoke coming from one of the tyres.
Driver’s Alertness Prevents Major Accident
As soon as the passengers became aware of the problem, panic spread inside the bus. The driver quickly pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the vehicle.
The passengers were immediately asked to get off the bus. An inspection revealed that one of the tyres had caught fire. Since everyone was evacuated in time, no casualty was reported.
The incident could have resulted in a serious accident had the fire not been detected in time, particularly on an expressway carrying high-speed traffic.
Incident Raises Questions Over Bus Fitness
The tyre fire has also raised questions about the technical inspection and fitness of Roadways buses before they are deployed on long-distance routes.
Passengers said the bus had been moving slowly since leaving ISBT, raising concerns about whether its mechanical condition had been properly checked before departure.
A tyre-related failure while a bus is travelling at high speed can pose a serious safety risk. The incident has therefore prompted passengers to demand more thorough fitness checks of buses operating on long-distance routes.
Passengers Sent to Delhi in Another Bus
Following the incident, passengers had to wait on the roadside while arrangements were made for another vehicle.
A second bus was later arranged from Dehradun, and the passengers were sent onward to Delhi. Passengers have urged the Roadways management to strengthen pre-trip inspections and ensure that buses are in proper technical condition before being sent on long routes.
