BMTC's directive to drivers: Don't switch off midi bus engine

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has instructed all its midi bus drivers not to switch off the engine at traffic signals. The directive comes after an initial investigation into three incidents of Ashok Leyland midi buses in Bengaluru catching fire in the last three months revealed that the fires originated from the engine area.

Hitherto the orders were to switch off the engines at the traffic signals if waiting period was more than 14 seconds. This measure was resorted to in order to save diesel consumption. But of late some midi buses caught fire in the middle of the traffic creating a dangerous situation.

The engineers of BMTC and their counterparts from the manufacturer have detected that the vehicles had an inbuilt operational hazard of both the main electrical harness and the fuel lines running parallel close to each other in the particular segment in the engine bay. Frequent engine switching off and restarting did trigger electrical discharges and if the fuel lines had even the slightest fuel residue due to the line going brittle due to heat there could be a flare-up.

The BMTC had issued orders to this effect on Wednesday following a few of the Midi buses had caught fire. BMTC officials however clarified that these fire mishaps had not caused any injury to the passengers or to any other road users.

Back in 2008, the BMTC had been advised by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board to ask their crew to switch off their engines at the signals if they had to stop for more than 14 seconds, which is the international norm for saving both fuel and also emit lesser emission.