Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued conditional summons to the Chief Secretary of Punjab over alleged safety violations involving buses deployed under the Bhagwant Mann government’s Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana. The action follows complaints that sleeper coach buses operating under the pilgrimage programme do not comply with prescribed structural and safety standards.
NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo accused the Punjab government of negligence, claiming that the state had been alerted to potential risks associated with sleeper coach buses as early as 2025. Referring to findings and reports from the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), he said modifications to the infrastructure and body design of certain sleeper buses could compromise their structural stability, affect balance and increase the risk of accidents.
Kanoongo alleged that after the commission raised the issue with state governments, Punjab submitted a report stating that no sleeper coach buses were operating in the state. However, the NHRC subsequently received complaints that such buses were being used for the Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana despite allegedly failing to meet CIRT guidelines.
He further claimed that the commission again wrote to the state government in October, asking it to address the concerns and ensure compliance with safety norms. Instead of taking corrective action, according to Kanoongo, some government representatives objected to the commission’s intervention and accused it of attempting to obstruct the programme.
The NHRC’s move puts the spotlight on the safety arrangements for buses used to transport pilgrims under the state-sponsored scheme. The commission’s concerns centre on compliance with transport standards and the responsibility of authorities to ensure that vehicles deployed for public travel meet mandatory safety requirements.
