India, Oct. 27 -- The bus fire on Friday in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, occurred within days of the one in Jaisalmer earlier this month - 47 people died in the two accidents. On Sunday, passengers narrowly escaped a similar fate when their bus caught fire on the Agra-Lucknow expressway. Three major accidents in such a short span raises questions about the safety practices of privately owned, inter-state public transport buses and the regulatory ecosystem that oversees them. These buses have sprung up as a transport option over the last few decades, mainly because of two factors: one, the rise of many Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities as regional growth hubs offering employment across classes, and two, the combination of a shrinking of government-operated public transport system and the constraints of the railways on last-mile connectivity. The expansion of highways that allows faster commutes has increased the popularity of these private buses, also called "luxury coaches", given many offer comforts absent in state transport buses. Unfortunately, the demand for convenience has created an ecosystem that ignores safety protocols. Take the Kurnool accident. Survivor accounts reveal that escaping the burning vehicle was a struggle as there was no easy route to evacuate. Buses often lack sufficient emergency windows and escape hatches to allow full and immediate evacuation; even when these are available, smooth functioning is not guaranteed as safety maintenance is not a top priority for operators. The "luxury coaches" also have many inflammable components, and often lack proper insulation. Also, operators add illegal fixtures - raising electrical and fire risks - to attract passengers, while there is no assurance of functioning fire safety equipment. Bad road design and overspeeding compound the risks for passengers. Untrained, overworked staff - pushed by operators to maximise profits - often act recklessly, endangering lives. Several such violations go unchecked, making these buses moving death traps. A large part of the problem is the absence of regulatory oversight. Proper work hours and rest facilities for bus staff to strict monitoring of speed cameras on highways should be compulsory. The fact that many operators have powerful political backing engenders a sense of impunity. Road transport officials and police are mandated to ensure compliance, but often they limit their tasks to rent-seeking. Mandating quick-release windows, manually operated emergency exits, etc, can be a start. And, as in the case of airlines, safety drills must be made compulsory in the inter-state buses so that passengers know what to do in the event of accidents. Without strict monitoring and enforcement of existing rules, and sensitisation of operators and their personnel, the next Kurnool or a Jaisalmer is just a bus ride away....