Probe Exposes Safety Violations in Kurnool Bus Crash

A transport department inquiry has found multiple violations by Vemuri Kaveri Travels, the operator of the bus that crashed near Kurnool.

Officials reported that the vehicle, originally registered as a passenger coach, had been converted into a sleeper coach without approval. The modification was not cleared by the Andhra Pradesh or Telangana Transport Departments. Instead, the company obtained permission from the Rayagada Transport Department in Odisha, now under review.

Authorities said all vehicles must meet national safety standards, regardless of which state issues approval. Kurnool officials have asked the Odisha department for documents verifying the bus’s compliance at the time of modification. No response has been received.

Investigators found that the luggage compartment was being used to transport private parcels, though the company lacked cargo authorization. The bus carried 234 mobile phones and a small gas cylinder that reportedly leaked on the day of the accident.

The inspection also showed missing emergency hammers, a converted undercarriage space for a second driver, and emergency exits that failed to open. Survivors said the driver had been speeding before the crash.

The bus lacked two mandatory fire extinguishers and had undergone unauthorized interior changes. Records show that Vemuri Kaveri Travels had earlier been fined by both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Transport Departments for similar violations.

Officials said repeated penalties failed to bring compliance, suggesting ongoing negligence that may have contributed to the Kurnool accident.