A scary incident took place on the busy Mehrauli-Badarpur Road in South Delhi today when a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) electric bus suddenly caught fire. The incident happened around 12:57 PM while the bus was moving near a hospital on the stretch. Officials have confirmed that the fire started due to a short circuit, but thankfully, everyone inside the bus managed to get out safely before the flames grew bigger.
How did the incident happen?
The electric bus was running on Route Number 544, which ferries passengers between R K Puram and the Badarpur Border. According to reports, smoke was noticed coming from the vehicle while it was in motion. The driver acted quickly, stopping the bus immediately so that passengers could evacuate.
Delhi Fire Services (DFS) received the call just before 1 PM and rushed fire tenders to the location. They managed to douse the fire, although the bus sustained significant damage. Preliminary checks by the authorities point towards a technical fault or short circuit in the wiring as the main cause.
Traffic Update and Next Steps
The fire caused a panic-like situation on the road, leading to a traffic jam during the afternoon hours. The Delhi Police reached the spot to manage the crowd and regulate the movement of other vehicles. The burnt bus was later removed to clear the way for normal traffic.
Following this event, a detailed technical audit of the bus is expected. Authorities and the bus manufacturer will look into the battery and electrical systems to understand exactly what went wrong. This aligns with the safety rules set in November 2025, which require regular checks on electric buses to prevent such wiring faults.
