Alert conductor avoids mishap after Chennai-Bengaluru electric bus catches fire

E-bus catches fire on Chennai-Bengaluru highway

An electric bus carrying around 10 passengers from Chennai to Bengaluru caught fire after being rear-ended by another bus in Chembarambakkam near Chennai on September 22.

The incident raises significant safety concerns, particularly regarding the operations and safety measures associated with electric buses and general road safety.

Sources said e-bus, operated by NueGo, started its journey from Koyambedu bus terminus in Chennai on September 22 morning. The e-bus driver applied a sudden brake after a government-run bus, which was moving ahead suddenly slowed down. Following this, another private bus, which had come too close to the e-bus, collided with the vehicle.

An alert conductor noticed smoke from the rear side of the vehicle, where the batteries were damaged due to the impact of the crash at around 6:30am. He informed the passengers to disembark near Chembarambakkam on Chennai-Bengaluru national highway.

According to police, no injuries were reported and fire tenders were deployed. A case has been registered, and an investigation is underway.

@MORTHIndia@RLR_BTM@tdkarnataka @ChristinMP_@tv9kannada@publictvnews @SUVARNANEWS24X7 @firstnews_tv Ev Bus Catches fire, proving unsafe to passengers, need action to stop Immidiately in all long routes. This is 2nd or 3rd incident in a year. pic.twitter.com/aU7sy94s7L

— Surya Nataraja Sharma (@saisharma4) September 22, 2023

Meanwhile, GreenCell Mobility, which launched NueGo in 2022, released an official statement confirming the incident. "This incident occurred due to another bus hitting the rear-end of our bus, resulting in the vehicle catching fire, with no fault on driving parameters." It also added that the passengers received prompt assistance in reaching their intended destinations.

Further, the company noted that its buses are in "full compliance with the Central Motor Vehicle Act, and it is currently conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident, and are "committed to taking all necessary measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future."

In 2022, GreenCell Mobility, backed by EverSource Capital, launched NueGo. On its website, NueGo claimed to be India's first intercity electric premium AC coach service. “NueGo is dedicated to building a platform to provide Electric Mobility-as-a-Service (eMaaS). We’re bringing a better booking experience, luxurious lounges, guest assist programmes, a superior in-cabin experience, international standard of safety and service; as well as technology-driven value-added services like geo-location sharing through our state-of-the-art app”, it says.

An increasing number of passenger transporters are seeking to ply on intercity bus routes by taking advantage of permit exemptions for electric buses.

Also read: Startups eye intercity travel, hitching ride on permit exemption for e-buses

No permits required for e-buses

To encourage more fleet owners to switch to environment-friendly E-vehicles and also to eliminate corruption in issuing permits, the central ministry of road transport and highways said in 2018 that no permits would be required for vehicles including auto-rickshaws, buses and taxis running on alternative fuels, including Compressed Natural Gas and ethanol as well Electric Vehicles.