Human Rights Body Summons Top Punjab Official Over Tarn Taran Bus Crash, Flags Lapses

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued conditional summons to the Punjab Chief Secretary over the November 14 Tarn Taran bus tragedy, in which four people were killed and around 30 others were injured after two buses operating under the Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana collided.

Taking serious note of alleged safety violations and the Punjab Government's failure to demonstrate effective compliance with its earlier directions, the Commission, in a Bench headed by Member Priyank Kanoongo, has sought a detailed explanation from the state government.

The development assumes significance as the NHRC had flagged serious safety concerns involving buses operating under the pilgrimage scheme even before the Tarn Taran accident. The Commission had directed the Punjab Government to inspect all buses deployed under the scheme and immediately withdraw vehicles found violating mandatory safety standards.

The concerns were raised following a complaint filed by the Network for Access to Justice & Multidisciplinary Outreach Foundation, which highlighted alleged unauthorised structural modifications in buses, obstruction of emergency exits and deficiencies in fire safety and emergency evacuation arrangements.

The NHRC had also been monitoring passenger bus safety across the country for more than a year, flagging fatal accidents involving passenger and sleeper buses, structural deficiencies and violations of CIRT guidelines.

However, the Commission observed that the Punjab Government had failed to demonstrate effective action on its directions. The subsequent Tarn Taran tragedy has brought the earlier warnings into sharp focus, prompting the NHRC to express displeasure over what it described as the authorities' lackadaisical approach.

The Chief Secretary has been directed to furnish comprehensive details of inspections conducted on buses operating under the scheme, their safety compliance status, corrective measures taken and action initiated against vehicles found violating prescribed norms.

The state government has also been asked to submit a detailed report on the Tarn Taran accident.

The Commission has made it clear that failure to submit comprehensive reports within the stipulated deadline would require the Chief Secretary to appear before it.

Reiterating the responsibility of state and regulatory authorities, the NHRC stressed that passenger safety cannot be compromised, particularly when government-sponsored travel schemes involve senior citizens and other vulnerable passengers.

The proceedings put the spotlight on the Punjab Government's bus safety monitoring mechanism, with questions emerging over whether timely inspections and corrective action could have prevented the tragedy.