Equipped with advanced safety features, MSRTC’s first non-AC sleeper bus set to take to the road

MSRTC’s Public Relation Officer Abhijeet Bhosale said, “The manufacturing of 50 non-AC sleeper buses is underway at the state transport’s centralised workshop in Pune. One of them has been completed.”

He added that these buses are being brought in as per public demand. “Commuters need rest and comfort while travelling long distances. This is a pilot project and the sample bus is ready to be operated,” he said.

According to the information provided by an official, the buses are 12 meters long, 2.6 meters wide, and 3.6 meters tall. They are equipped with 15 berths, allowing 30 passengers to sleep comfortably.

As per the official, considering the rise in bus accidents on highways, these buses will come with a variety of advanced safety features such as one emergency door at the rear and sufficient hammers to break the glasses of the emergency door and windows. There will be two metallic roof hatches along with the escape hatch in the driver’s cabin. Additionally, the bus will have two fire extinguishers of four and six kilograms respectively. A Fire Detection and Suppression System (FDSS) has installed for the engine’s safety. The driver’s cabin will be equipped with an announcement system and an LED screen connected to a camera will be mounted at the back for monitoring.

The buses are also equipped with an extra reservation sleeper compartment for the specially-abled persons with an emergency bell available inside it.

“The ticket price and route of the bus will be decided soon. This sample bus will join in the service of passengers in the next few days,” Bhosale said.