Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has decided to replace its fleet
all Kinglong AC buses hired from private contractor following an incident when one of these buses caught fire near Airoli bridge at Mulund on Saturday evening. Shivneri divisional controller Shivaji Sonawane told Sakl Times that total 11 Kinglong buses were in the fleet of state transport utility and they were running under Shivneri Volvo AC bus service on Pune to Dadar and Thane routes.
"Top authorities have issued orders for terminating the contract for Kinglong AC buses. Also, an inquiry has been ordered to probe Saturday"s mishap, he said. Sonawane said that out of 11 Kinglong AC buses, nine were allotted for Pune division in which five were running on Pune-Thane route and four between Pune and Dadar.
Though there were no injuries in Saturday"s mishap, passengers were reportedly in panic and were annoyed over the alleged poor maintenance of the bus. A few alert passengers averted the major tragedy after they noticed flames coming from the running bus (MH06-S-7490) which was then stopped immediately.
No sooner did all the 44 passengers along with driver and conductor alighted from the bus, it was engulfed by the fire, according to reports. When asked about the maintenance of hired buses, Sonawane said, "We sign annual maintenance contract with private contractors and accordingly the responsibility of fitness of hired buses lies with the contractors."
He said that Kinglong buses ever since their induction in Shivneri fleet more than a couple of years ago, were having relatively more breakdown percentage.