Rajasthan Patrika, October 16, 2025
By Pradeep S. Mehta
The article reflects on the Jaisalmer bus fire tragedy of 14 October 2025, in which a privately modified sleeper bus caught fire shortly after departure, resulting in many deaths and severe injuries. Pradeep S. Mehta argues that such incidents are not merely accidents but symptoms of deeper policy and governance failures in road safety and vehicle regulation.
The article highlights how safety regulations are often reduced to paper compliance, while enforcement and accountability remain weak leading to unsafe vehicles operating on highways despite legal requirements. The tragedy, he suggests, exposes systemic lapses in inspections, emergency preparedness, inter-agency coordination, and the broader road safety ecosystem, calling for urgent reforms beyond routine responses after each disaster. Read more>>
Pradeep Mehta is the Secretary General of CUTS International, a 42-year-old leading global public policy research and advocacy group.
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