8 buses fined Rs2 lakh over illegal op

Indore: In the wake of the Ujjain-Shajapur bus fire that claimed the life of a four-year-old boy, authorities in Indore conducted a joint crackdown on buses at Star square on Tuesday, fining eight vehicles a total of Rs 2.26 lakh and cancelling fitness certificates of two others.The operation, ordered by collector Shivam Verma, was carried out by a team comprising RTO Pradeep Sharma, SDM Ghanshyam Dhangar, ARTO Rajesh Gupta, and flying squad in-charge Akash Sithole.All India tourist buses and other public transport vehicles were checked for emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and passenger evacuation systems. Buses with blocked emergency exits and non-functional fire extinguishers had their fitness certificates cancelled, while others were penalised for incomplete documentation and for illegally operating as stage carriages under tourist permits.Drivers and conductors were also warned against carrying flammable material on board and directed to brief passengers on emergency procedures — including the use of exits and window-breaking hammers — on the lines of pre-flight safety demonstrations.