Noida Bus Fire: High Court Flags Unchecked AC Sleeper Buses, Untrained Crew

The Allahabad High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the fire on a sleeper bus on the Yamuna Expressway in which nine passengers died, and has asked Uttar Pradesh officials to explain how such buses are permitted and checked.

Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery directed the state to file an affidavit disclosing the number of sleeper bus permits issued in Uttar Pradesh over the last three years, and whether the prescribed standards were verified before those permits were granted. The court set October 13 as the next date of hearing.

The affidavit is also to state whether bus designs were altered in ways that “compromised the security” of passengers, and whether the buses were carrying commercial parcels.

The court sought details of border checking points and night inspections, including whether inspectors record passenger statements, check that fire extinguishers are available, verify that passengers are aware of emergency exits, and confirm that drivers and conductors have undergone the training required of them. It also asked for details and outcomes of criminal proceedings in similar accidents over the past three years.

The court took note of news reports, including one published in the Hindustan Times, and of data placed before the Rajya Sabha showing 45 bus fire incidents between January 2023 and December 10, 2025, in which 64 people died and 145 were injured across the country.

The chief secretary, the director general of police and the additional chief secretary (transport) of Uttar Pradesh appeared through video conference and briefed the court on the accident and the action taken so far, including the initiation of criminal proceedings.

After hearing them, the court said that on a specific query about the checking of such buses within Uttar Pradesh, it was informed of steps taken by the transport department, but “the court finds that still there is scope of improvement and to intensify regular checking of such buses”.

“It appears that AC sleeper buses are operating without proper checks and without proper safeguards, such as fire extinguishers. It also appears that drivers and conductors of buses are not trained to act responsibly in any such mishappenings,” the court observed.

The court directed that if the bus involved in the accident is found to be non-compliant with government rules, action should be taken against its driver, conductor and licensee, including consideration of a ban on buses operated by the licensee.

Reports have said that before the vehicle caught fire in Greater Noida, a staff member had flagged problems with it. Among those who died were a woman who was unable to walk and her son, who stayed behind to save her.

Fires in air-conditioned sleeper buses are known to spread quickly, and evacuation from a confined space with limited exits is difficult, particularly at night. The court’s questions turn on a basic gap: whether the paperwork for a bus matches the condition of the vehicle actually on the road, and whether the crew on board is prepared for an emergency.

The observations come amid wider scrutiny of private bus operations on expressways, where operators often run overnight services on tight schedules. The state has now been asked to place on record how many such buses are on the road, what inspections have found, and what action followed when violations were detected.

The matter will be heard next on October 13.