Telangana: TGSRTC grounds 500 e-buses of JBM after fire incidents

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) has temporarily withdrawn 500 electric buses operated by JBM from service across the state following a series of fire incidents.

The buses have been operating in the Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar regions.

On June 21, an electric bus travelling from Karimnagar to Hyderabad caught fire near Algunur. Earlier, on June 11, another electric bus parked at the Hanumakonda depot was gutted in a fire incident.

TGSRTC officials said minor technical issues and breakdowns in the buses had earlier been addressed through repairs, and services had resumed. However, the recent spate of fire incidents has raised concerns among authorities.

The issue was taken up seriously, and discussions were held with representatives of JBM. Following a preliminary inspection in Karimnagar, the company reportedly found certain shortcomings related to battery maintenance and fastening mechanisms.

Officials said a technical team from JBM’s Delhi office would conduct a detailed inspection in Karimnagar and submit a report.

“We will restore the buses only after we are fully satisfied about their safety,” Karimnagar Regional Manager B. Raju and Warangal Regional Manager Bhavani Prasad said.