Bengaluru: R Ramalinga Reddy claims puja items caused KSRTC bus fire

Bengaluru: Transport Minister R. Ramalinga Reddy dismissed possibility of a major technical fault in the recent incident of a KSRTC bus catching fire near Bengaluru.

“According to transport department’s preliminary report, there were puja materials and oil inside the bus. That may have caused the fire,” Mr Reddy said.
The transport department has directed government, private and school buses and lorries to mandatorily install fire extinguishers.

Tenders will be floated to equip KSRTC’s 24,000 buses with fire extinguishers at the earliest, he added. The Minister also wanted private buses to install emergency back doors.

The department has decided to replace 5,550 old buses and new buses will be brought in by June 2017, Mr Reddy said. “1,650 of these will operate in Bengaluru. We have also decided to run mini buses in the city; nearly 4,000 buses will be bought in March and the remaining will be inducted by June,” he added.

Mr Reddy emphasised that the corporation has nothing to do with the ongoing tussle between Ola and Uber drivers. It is between the companies and their drivers. It is better if the drivers approach the court for justice, Mr Reddy said.