The Delhi government on Wednesday issued a fresh set of guidelines for all buses plying in the national capital, including the ones registered in other states. The move follows public outrage over the gang-rape of a 16-year-old girl aboard a sleeper bus travelling to Delhi from Greater Noida, officials said. The capital’s transport department has prioritised the safety of the women and children, warning that violations to the guidelines shall invite strict action.

Mandatory safety kit on buses, blankets banned

As per the new rules, every bus must possess functional Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTDs), accessible panic buttons, fire extinguishers and first-aid kits, as per a report by news agency ANI.

Operators have also been directed to park buses only at authorised, secure and well-lit locations when not in service, particularly overnight. Moreover, the government has also banned the use of curtains and unauthorised film coverings on windows of the vehicles, and the operators are required to maintain prescribed visibility standards at all times.

Staff verification, conduct rules mandated too

Further in the guidelines, it has been mentioned that drivers and conductors must hold valid licenses, should wear uniforms and must carry PSV badges wherever mandated, and the operators have been obliged to verify staff before deploying them. Additionally, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol has been strictly prohibited, and crew members have been asked to behave appropriately towards passengers at all times.

In case of the occurrence of any harassment, molestation or eve-teasing incident, crews must raise an alarm with police immediately and must divert the bus to the nearest police station, police outpost or PCR van. Staff have also been directed to assist disabled passengers boarding or alighting.

Other compliance measures

Operators are required to ensure that every bus holds a valid Fitness Certificate, meets emission standards and carries a current Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. Moreover, buses must adhere to traffic regulations and use designated lanes where applicable. Boarding and alighting of the passengers have been permitted only at authorised stops, and the vehicle’s doors must stay shut while they are in motion.

Delhi’s Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh called passenger safety ‘non-negotiable,’ stressing the safeguards be enforced on the ground. He further informed that enforcement drives will follow, and the buses found not to be complying with the rules shall attract penalties, seizure or suspension of licenses.

Nirbhaya-like horror triggers crackdown

The measures come in the aftermath of the gang-rape of a Class 11 female students from Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri, which transpired on August 4, 2026. According to police, the minor girl aged 16 left her house the previous day, and was bound for a relative’s house located in Noida’s Sector 63. She boarded a sleeper bus at Pari Chowk after being misdirected by its driver and conductor.

The duo gang-raped her and later abandoned her near Kashmere Gate Inter-state Bus Terminal, following which she approached the police and reported the sexual assault. The accused duo was booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the bus was traced to Timarpur, following which the cops swopped down on the accused driver Kuldeep, as well as conductor, Sandeep, within four hours.