Private bus operators across Andhra Pradesh keep breaking safety rules. They do this even after repeated warnings and serious accidents. Police and transport officials conduct random checks. But these inspections fail to control drivers and operators who openly ignore regulations.
Passengers Face Multiple Risks
The transport department's helpline did help some passengers during the Sankranti rush. It prevented them from paying inflated fares. However, buses still broke speed limits. They carried illegal goods and disregarded traffic rules completely.
Many passengers chose private operators. They did this despite special APSRTC buses and additional trains running during the festival season.
Recent Tragedies Highlight Dangers
Six sleeper bus fire accidents happened across the country in recent months. These incidents claimed 145 lives. One fire occurred in Kurnool district in October 2025. It killed 19 passengers.
Investigations showed multiple failures. They revealed lapses in bus design, maintenance, and daily operations. Combustible materials and suspected illegal goods turned buses into death traps.
Another tragedy struck in December 2025. Nine pilgrims from Chittoor died when their private bus plunged into a gorge in ASR district.
Officials Identify Critical Safety Gaps
Police, transport, and fire service officials made important observations. They noted passengers often get trapped during accidents. Narrow exits cause this problem. Flammable interior materials worsen situations.
Many buses lack emergency windows. They also miss basic fire safety equipment. Poor construction quality adds to the risks. Untrained drivers operate these vehicles frequently.
Authorities identified several major crash causes. Absence of dual-driver systems creates fatigue issues. Unchecked over-speeding remains rampant. Police stated over-speeding causes 60 to 70 percent of road fatalities each year.
Little mechanism exists to monitor private buses at night. This allows violations to continue unchecked during dark hours.
Enforcement Patterns Show Weakness
Enforcement typically increases after major accidents. But it fades within a week. This leaves violators free to resume dangerous practices.
Frequent travellers in Visakhapatnam voiced strong complaints. They said officials often become silent spectators once inspections conclude. Activists emphasized the urgent need for stricter regulations.
They called for frequent checks and swift punitive action. These measures could prevent future tragedies effectively.
Department Actions and Penalties
The transport department booked 900 cases against private bus operators during Sankranti 2025. It imposed fines totaling one crore rupees. Authorities seized 10 buses during this period.
Intensified inspections continued in 2026. They resulted in 290 cases for overcharging. Fines worth nineteen lakh rupees were collected. Another 678 cases addressed permit and tax violations. These brought thirty-eight lakh rupees in penalties.
Commissioner Manish Kumar Sinha confirmed inspections will continue until January 18. He issued specific instructions to private bus operators.
"We have told private bus operators to display the transport department helpline number on every bus," Sinha said. "The number is 9281607001. This enables passengers to report over-charging and other issues directly."
The department received calls from passengers about high ticket prices. Teams resolved these issues immediately. This prevented passengers from getting fleeced. Officials also tracked ticket prices on online booking platforms regularly.
Structural Modifications Create Hazards
Some bus operators convert seating coaches into sleeper coaches illegally. They violate norms while making these structural alterations. Improper emergency exits result from these changes.
Excess speed combines with poor vehicle modifications. Together they become major reasons for private bus crashes. Despite fire mishaps occurring repeatedly, some buses still lack sufficient fire extinguishers.
Andhra Pradesh Road Accident Statistics
Andhra Pradesh recorded 19,949 road accidents in 2023. These accidents caused 8,137 deaths. Over-speeding was responsible for 17,171 road crashes that year.
This represents 86 percent of all accident causes. Over-speeding resulted in 6,889 fatalities and 17,285 injuries during 2023.
On average, at least 20 motorists died in road crashes every day in Andhra Pradesh. The primary reason remains over-speeding consistently.
The state has over 45,000 kilometers of road network. This includes rural roads, district highways, and state highways. Between 30 to 45 percent of motorists do not follow traffic norms regularly.
