Fri Oct 24 09:18:19 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the provided text and a rewritten version formatted as a news article:
Summary:
A tragic bus fire in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, on October 24, 2025, claimed the lives of at least 19 passengers traveling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru. The Karnataka government has dispatched officials to assist victims’ families. The bus had all required permits. The incident has reignited concerns about safety on the Bengaluru-Hyderabad highway, especially regarding speeding, driver behavior, and the adequacy of safety measures on private buses. A prior incident in 2013 led to the mandating of emergency exits on buses. The NHAI was unavailable for comment.
News Article:
19 Feared Dead in Fiery Bus Crash on Bengaluru-Hyderabad Route; Safety Concerns Mount
Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh – October 24, 2025 – A devastating fire engulfed a private luxury bus near Kurnool early this morning, claiming the lives of at least 19 passengers and injuring several others. The bus, en route from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, collided with a motorcycle before bursting into flames.
Karnataka’s Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy confirmed that officials have been dispatched to Kurnool to identify victims from Karnataka and provide support to their families. “We are working to determine how many victims are from Karnataka. Our officials are on the ground coordinating with local authorities,” Reddy stated. He verified the bus had valid permits to operate on any route across the country.
The tragedy has once again highlighted the perilous conditions on the busy Bengaluru-Hyderabad highway. Motorists frequently complain about reckless driving and inadequate safety measures. One frequent traveler, Sagar Kumar, described the highway as “super risky,” citing poor driving habits and insufficient lane capacity. He said, “Driving on the Hyderabad–Bengaluru highway is not unsafe because of poor roads, but because of the driving etiquette.”
This incident evokes the memory of a similar tragedy in 2013, where 45 passengers died in a bus fire on the same highway. Following that incident, Karnataka mandated emergency exits on all buses, leading to the retrofitting of around 50,000 buses. Transport officials claim KSRTC buses are speed limited.
The Transport Department has vowed to strengthen enforcement of speed limits and safety regulations. “After this accident, we will explore how to strengthen checks on speed violations and improve surveillance along the route,” an official said.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was unavailable for comment at the time of publication. The incident is under investigation.
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