The back-to-back road accidents involving State Transport Service (STS) buses in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands should serve as a serious wake-up call for both the Transport Department and the administration. Fortunately, there has been no loss of life in either incident. But relying on good fortune is not a transport safety policy. If anything, these two accidents have exposed the urgent need for a comprehensive safety audit of the entire STS fleet before a tragedy of far greater magnitude unfolds.
A few weak back, an STS bus travelling from Kadamtala to Rangat overturned near St. Mary School, Sabari, leaving several passengers injured. Again this afternoon, another STS bus met with an accident on the Kishorinagar village road in Diglipur. Around 50 to 60 passengers, most of them school students, were injured when the bus overturned. Thankfully, medical authorities confirmed that no life-threatening injuries had been reported. However, the images and reports from the accident site leave no room for complacency. A bus packed with schoolchildren overturning on a village road could easily have turned into one of the worst road tragedies in the Islands’ history.
In both cases, investigations are still in progress, and it would be inappropriate to conclusively attribute the accidents to any single factor. However, beyond the question of driver responsibility lies another concern that cannot be ignored. Public opinion following both accidents has consistently raised doubts about the condition of STS buses. Many commuters have long complained about ageing buses, poor maintenance, worn-out components and the overall condition of vehicles operating on long and difficult routes. Whether or not these factors contributed to the recent accidents must be established through technical examination, but the concerns themselves deserve immediate attention.
The State Transport Service is not merely another public transport system. For thousands of people living in remote areas of North and Middle Andaman, Diglipur, Rangat, Mayabunder and other interior regions, STS buses are nothing less than a lifeline. School students, government employees, patients travelling for medical treatment, farmers, labourers, traders and ordinary families depend on these buses every single day. Unlike metropolitan cities, many of these areas have no practical alternative when public buses fail or become unsafe.
This makes passenger safety a matter of the highest priority.
The Secretary (Transport) should personally take cognisance of the situation. Instead of waiting for routine reports, surprise inspections of STS depots and buses should be carried out. As many buses as possible should be physically inspected to assess their roadworthiness. Critical components such as braking systems, steering mechanisms, suspension, tyres, lighting, emergency exits and structural integrity must be examined by qualified engineers. Any vehicle found unsafe should be immediately withdrawn from service until necessary repairs are completed.
At the same time, mechanical fitness alone will not be sufficient. Driver fitness, adherence to duty hours, periodic medical examinations, refresher training and strict enforcement of alcohol testing protocols should also become an integral part of the safety review. Passenger safety depends equally on the condition of the vehicle and the competence and alertness of the person behind the wheel.
A comprehensive safety audit should therefore examine every aspect of STS operations—not merely after accidents, but as a preventive exercise. Such audits should become a regular institutional practice rather than a reaction to unfortunate incidents.
The two recent accidents have given the administration an opportunity to act before lives are lost. The Islands have been fortunate this time. The next accident may not be as forgiving.
Road safety is ultimately about preventing disasters, not merely investigating them afterwards. The best tribute to the passengers who suffered injuries in these two incidents would be meaningful reforms that ensure no family has to endure a similar ordeal in the future.
The administration still has time to act decisively. It should not wait for a fatal accident to remind everyone of what could have been prevented.
