Tarn Taran bus accident: NHRC summons Punjab Chief Secretary; CCTV showing fatal collision surfaces

PTC News Desk: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued Punjab Chief Secretary over alleged safety violations in buses operating under the Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken action following the collision between two buses operating under the same government scheme in Tarn Taran on Saturday. The accident reportedly claimed four lives and left around 30 people injured.

Also Read: Punjab CM Teerth Yatra bus accident: Four dead as two pilgrimage buses collide head-on near Naushehra Pannuan in Tarn Taran

Meanwhile, a CCTV footages showing two buses carrying pilgrims colliding head-on on National Highway-54 in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district on Saturday (November 14). The video shows both buses approaching at high speed before crashing into each other.

Five pilgrims were killed in the accident, while more than a dozen others sustained injuries. Both buses were operating under the Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Scheme and were carrying around 80 passengers in total.

Passengers travelling in one of the buses were returning after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, while the other bus was heading from Harike towards Amritsar.

The Commission has been raising concerns about passenger bus safety across India for more than a year. In its earlier proceedings, the NHRC highlighted repeated fatal accidents involving passenger and sleeper buses, structural defects and violations of guidelines issued by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT). It had also called for urgent steps to prevent such incidents.

Later, a complaint filed by the Network for Access to Justice & Multidisciplinary Outreach Foundation raised serious concerns about buses operating under Punjab's Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana.

The complaint alleged unauthorised changes to bus structures, blocked emergency exits and inadequate fire safety and emergency evacuation arrangements.

Following the complaint, the NHRC had directed the Punjab Government to inspect all buses operating under the scheme and immediately remove those that failed to meet mandatory safety standards.

However, the Commission said the state government had failed to show that effective action had been taken to implement these directions. Taking note of the alleged non-compliance and the recent accident, the NHRC criticised the authorities for their lack of action and issued conditional summons to the Punjab Chief Secretary, directing him to appear before the Commission if the required reports are not submitted.

NHRC seeks detailed report on bus safety

The Chief Secretary has been asked to provide details of:

Inspections conducted on buses operating under the scheme.

Compliance with mandatory safety standards.

Corrective measures taken by the government.

Action against buses that failed to meet safety requirements.

A detailed report on the Tarn Taran accident.

The Commission has warned that the Chief Secretary will have to appear before it if comprehensive reports are not submitted within the given deadline. The NHRC reiterated that ensuring passenger safety is the direct responsibility of state governments and regulatory authorities, particularly when senior citizens and other vulnerable groups are travelling.