Mysore/Mysuru:  In the aftermath of the horrific bus fire in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh — where 20 passengers lost their lives after a private sleeper bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru caught fire following a collision with a bike — the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Mysuru has launched a comprehensive safety audit of its entire fleet. The audit report has since been submitted to the KSRTC headquarters.

Acting on Government directives, the KSRTC conducted safety inspections across all its buses operating in the State, including those in Mysuru. Thousands of vehicles under both urban and rural divisions underwent detailed safety checks to ensure compliance with passenger safety norms.

Jammed emergency exits

The audit primarily focused on verifying the functionality of emergency exit systems. These exits are critical for quick passenger evacuation in case of an accident. In air-conditioned buses, hammers are provided at both ends of the vehicle to break the glass near emergency exits, while non-AC buses feature manually operable exits.

The inspection revealed that many emergency exits had become jammed due to lack of use, while several buses were found without fire extinguishers. Fuel leakages from diesel tanks were also detected in a few cases.

All such issues have now been rectified. Each bus was inspected by a four-member team of mechanics under the supervision of a designated officer.

1,272 buses inspected

The KSRTC Mysuru City Division completed safety audits of all 554 buses under its jurisdiction. However, 24 of these vehicles were found to have non-functional emergency exit doors requiring repair. Once rectified, the final report will be submitted to the KSRTC headquarters, said Divisional Controller H.T. Veeresh.

Meanwhile, the KSRTC Mysuru Rural Division has completed safety audits of all 718 buses in its fleet. Mechanics thoroughly inspected safety systems and addressed any detected faults, ensuring that all buses are now fully compliant. The audit report has already been forwarded to the head office, confirmed Divisional Controller B. Srinivas.

Additionally, 16 Volvo buses in the rural division require refilling of air-conditioning gas. As this task cannot be performed by in-house technical staff, the division has notified Volvo officials to arrange for certified technicians to carry out the refilling work.