As per information available with this Ministry, some fire incidents have been reported in battery operated vehicles and one in sleeper coach bus.

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had constituted a Committee of experts to suggest formulation of safety standards for the battery and its components, BMS (battery management system) and related systems in electric vehicles, in the wake of incidents of fire in electric vehicles. Based on the report of the Committee, safety standards for battery and related components of electric vehicles and technical requirement for battery packs have been upgraded and this Ministry has notified the standards for compliance by electric vehicle manufacturers. Further, standards regarding sleeper coaches (AIS 119) have also been revised in the wake of such incidents.

The steps taken by the Government for the prevention of fire incidents in motor vehicles are as under:-

(i) Based on the recommendations of the Committee and inputs from the stakeholders, amendments to the Automotive Industry Standards (AIS) 156 [Specific requirements for L category electric power train vehicles] and AIS 038 (Rev 2) [Specific Requirements for M, N Category Electric Power Train Vehicles] were published. The said amendments are effective from 31st March, 2023.

(ii) This Ministry vide G.S.R. 888(E) dated 19th December 2022 has amended sub rule 4 of Rule 124 of CMVR (Central Motor Vehicles Rules), 1989 whereby the procedure for type approval and establishing conformity of production for components related to Traction Battery for Electric Power train Vehicles has been prescribed.

(iii) Safety standards notified by the Government from time to time are to be complied by vehicle manufacturers. Rule 126 of Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 provides that every manufacturer or importer of motor vehicles, including modular hydraulic trailers, shall submit the prototype of the vehicle to any testing agency notified, for granting a Type Approval certificate by that agency regarding the compliance of provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Test Agencies verify the said compliance and issue Type Approval Certificate to only those vehicle models / components which meet the specified standards.

(iv) This Ministry has mandated that the fully built buses (with a seating capacity of 22 passengers or above excluding driver) manufactured on and after 1st April 2019, by Original Equipment Manufacturers shall be in accordance with AIS:153. Such buses approved shall also comply with the requirements of Fire Detection, Alarm and Suppression system as per AIS:135 and AIS:153. Further, Ministry has also mandated the same provisions for Bus Body Builders which will come into effect from 1st September, 2025.

(v) This Ministry had extended the scope of AIS 135 for fire protection from the engine compartment to include the passenger compartment of school buses and buses of Type III category by amending the CMVR. This is effective from 1st October, 2023.

(vi) The standard for sleeper coaches (AIS 119) has been amended and the first phase has been implemented with effect from 1st December, 2023. The second phase will be applicable on vehicles built after 1st July, 2025.

This information was given by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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