Jaipur LPG tanker crash: Investigation finds fault on part of NHAI and tanker’s owner and consigner

NEW DELHI: An investigation into the

Jaipur LPG tanker crash

that claimed 21 lives has pointed out faults on the part of NHAI and its agencies, and the owner and consigner of the tanker for non-compliance of safety standards as well as negligence of the deceased driver of the goods truck that hit the tanker.
The findings of the crash investigation conducted by the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE) with support from the Jaipur Police was presented at a mock court, chaired by former IPS Kiran Bedi, on Wednesday at the College of Traffic Management in Faridabad.
The probe report mentions that the tanker driver can be absolved of the offence of dangerous or negligent driving as he took the U-turn on the highway “cautiously”. However, the FIR by the Jaipur Police, registered hours after the fatal crash, has accused the drivers of the LPG tanker and the goods truck of speeding and negligence, which, according to police, resulted in the accident. The FIR has not mentioned any other entity for the crash. Police are yet to file a chargesheet in the case.
The crash happened on the Jaipur-Kishangarh highway in Rajasthan on Dec 20 last year. The goods-carrier truck collided with the BPCL tanker carrying LPG when the tanker was making the U-turn. There was an explosion due to gas leak from the tanker as its inlet-outlet nozzle had broken in the accident.

The findings of another crash investigation carried out by SaveLife Foundation for the road transport ministry, which was presented to minister Nitin Gadkari recently, identified almost similar reasons behind the fatal accident, including the inadequate gap-in-median treatment, road signage, non-functional traffic signal and absence of safety mechanism at the valve (nozzle).
The IRTE’s report mentions that as the proposed cloverleaf had not been built even in six years, “drivers have no choice but to take the U-turn (gap-in-median), thereby increasing traffic conflicts and the subsequent risk of accidents”. It pointed to faulty design of the U-turn, which is like a junction since this gap was the main interchange between NH-48 and NH-148C. It found that while large vehicles of more than 18 metres in length may require a turning radius of more than 18 metres to negotiate the turn from extreme left, the radius available was only 11.5 metres.
The report stated that the traffic signal functioned only between 8 am and 7 pm, and after dark hours, it was put on amber blinking mode. “It is such a busy stretch, and hence, the traffic signal should function round the clock,” said Rohit Baluja, president of IRTE. The probe also found that while before the fatal accident there was only one speed sign of 50 kmph installed 375 metres before the junction, three speed signs were installed after the crash.
Quoting police, the report said 29 crashes had occurred at the same junction and stretch in three years, claiming 29 lives and leaving 26 injured. “The responsible authorities, contractors, consultants and concessionaires neither took precaution nor rectified the deficiencies. Therefore, they should be booked under MV Act and BNS,” it said.
The report said the driver of the goods truck was apparently travelling at 40-55 kmph and it was within the set speed limit. However, as a responsible driver he should have slowed down to 30 kmph when approaching gap-in-median with a blinker amber. It also flagged how the truck body was not as per standard.
Based on the interview of the tanker driver to the investigation team, the report said he had a hazardous goods driving permit valid till July 2025. The driver was behind the wheel for 18 hours before the accident, and without a helper. On the way he had two stops to have dinner and sleep for six hours (10 pm to 4 am). He resumed driving at 4 am. It pointed to how the owner and the consigner violated the law of allowing the driver to work for more than eight hours and for not deploying another driver.
The Industry LPG Transport Discipline Guidelines, which is part of transport agreement signed between oil companies and transporters, specifies that there should be two tanker truck (TT) drivers. It specifies that “No TT shall be plied by the driver without the second driver, either on the road or at any workplace.”
With regard to the explosion due to non-compliance of safety standards for nozzles, the report said, “The incident underscores the critical need for robust safety regulations, enforcement, design standards and periodic verification of design intent of vehicles transporting hazardous materials.”