NHRC Summons Punjab Chief Secretary Over Tarn Taran Bus Tragedy, Flags Safety Violations in Pilgrimage Buses

November 15, 2026

New Delhi/Chandigarh: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued show cause notices to the Punjab Chief Secretary regarding alleged grave safety lapses in buses registered under the Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana of the state after a collision between two buses in Tarn Taran claimed lives of four people while injuring 18 others.

The NHRC bench, chaired by Member Priyank Kanoongo, also took note of the collision that took place on November 14 and alleged that the Punjab Government did not act upon its previous directions to ensure passenger safety.

The Commission has asked the Chief Secretary to file detailed reports regarding inspection of buses, safety issues, corrective action, and action against buses not meeting compulsory safety standards. If the reports are not filed within the given time frame, the Chief Secretary will be called before the Commission.

NHRC Highlights Grave Safety Issues In Pilgrimage Buses

The NHRC has been looking into safety issues of passenger buses in various states. In its previous proceedings, the commission had highlighted the repeat occurrence of fatal accidents in passenger and sleeper buses due to structural issues and lack of adherence to guidelines provided by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT).

The Commission had asked for immediate preventive action.

Following a complaint by the Network for Access to Justice and Multidisciplinary Outreach Foundation, issues were highlighted with regards to the buses operating under the Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana of Punjab.

The complaint highlighted issues such as illegal modifications to the structure of the buses, blocked emergency exits, poor fire and evacuation safety. Further issues with regard to the safety of the vehicles used were also highlighted.

The Commission asked the Punjab Government to inspect all buses registered under this scheme and immediately remove any buses not meeting compulsory safety standards. However, the Government did not act upon this effectively.

NHRC Issues Show Cause Notices To Punjab Chief Secretary

The Commission took note of the alleged lack of action and the Tarn Taran accident and criticised the lax attitude of the authorities. The Commission has issued show cause notices to the Punjab Chief Secretary.

They have asked for details on the inspection of the buses, any safety issues found and corrective action taken.

The report should also outline action taken against any buses not adhering to compulsory safety standards. Finally, the report should include details of the Tarn Taran collision.

The Commission has stated that if detailed reports are not filed in the given time frame, the Chief Secretary will be called in.

The NHRC reiterated the importance of passenger safety and stressed that it is the responsibility of the state and authorities to ensure passengers, most notably senior citizens and vulnerable individuals, are safe.

What Caused The Tarn Taran Bus Accident?

The action taken by the NHRC comes after a collision between two buses operating under the Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana in Tarn Taran district, Punjab claimed the lives of four people and injured 18.

Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Surendra Lamba said that the collision happened after a motorcyclist approached the buses from the wrong side. This caused one of the drivers to swerve and collide with an oncoming vehicle.

The SSP said that 22 people were affected in the incident.

Four people lost their lives while 18 were injured. Five of those injured were in relatively serious condition and were taken to a hospital in Amritsar.

Thirteen of those injured were being treated at the local hospital. Eight of those injured were suffering from very minor injuries. The others are undergoing medical tests including X-rays to see if they have any fractures.

The incident has highlighted the importance of ensuring buses registered under the pilgrimage scheme of the state government adhere to passenger safety standards.