Noida: Traffic police seized 39 buses and challaned another 67 in the last three days for violations ranging from safety lapses to regulatory offences. The action, coming days after a bus fire claimed nine lives on Yamuna Expressway, has put passenger vehicles under closer lens, particularly those whose emergency exits, fire equipment or other safety features may not be fit for an emergency.Traffic police checked 1,003 buses between Sept 27 and 29, examining emergency exits, CCTV cameras, fire-safety equipment, curtains and black film, besides conducting drunk-driving checks. Drivers and conductors were also briefed on passenger safety and emergency equipment.Separately, the transport department launched Operation Kavach 2.0 on Sept 28 against unauthorised and rule-violating buses. Five teams conducted surprise checks across routes, seizing 21 buses on the first day and 18 on Sept 29.Unlike a routine penalty, the buses that have been seized will also undergo technical examination. A bus will be released only after being found compliant with AIS-119 safety norms. If it fails, its registration and fitness certificate could be suspended.The scrutiny assumes significance as recent checks found that sleeper buses are often modified after obtaining fitness certificates and RTO clearance. Retrofitters told TOI that some 2×1 sleeper layouts, designed for about 36 berths, are converted to 2×2 layouts to accommodate up to 48 passengers. The extra berths eat into aisle space and can reduce berth dimensions, making movement and evacuation harder.“Retrofitting is not a cosmetic modification,” a bus-service worker told TOI. Adding AC units, electrical loads or altering the passenger compartment changes the vehicle’s original safety configuration and must be properly engineered, inspected and certified.
