India, Jan. 9 -- Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari said sleeper buses will now be allowed to be built only by vehicle manufacturers or by body-building units that are formally accredited by the Centre. The move is aimed at bringing better quality control and accountability into a segment that has seen repeated safety failures.

For buses already on the road, the government will mandate retrofitting of basic safety equipment. This includes fire detection systems, clearly marked emergency exits with hammers, emergency lighting, and driver drowsiness warning systems.

The decision follows six reported sleeper bus fire accidents in the past few months, which together claimed 145 lives. In many of these cases, passengers were trapped...