Jaipur: One of Jaipur’s newly introduced electric buses came to an unexpected halt on Tonk Road Tuesday after its emergency panic button was activated, leaving around 30 passengers stranded inside for several minutes.The incident occurred near Kumbha Marg around 10.30 am when the bus suddenly stopped mid-route. Shortly afterwards, the doors locked automatically and a loud siren began blaring, causing panic among passengers. The driver was initially unable to identify the cause of the malfunction.After repeated attempts, the driver managed to open his cabin door and all passengers were safely evacuated. A mechanic was called to the spot, and the bus resumed service after nearly 30 minutes.Preliminary investigations revealed that the emergency SOS panic button was activated, triggering the vehicle’s emergency mode. The safety feature automatically locked the doors and activated the alarm system.The mechanic who attended the bus said the fault was not immediately visible. “Once the panic button was reset and the system restarted, the bus returned to normal operation,” he said.Jaipur City Transport Services Ltd (JCTSL) Managing Director Narayan Singh said the incident appeared to have been caused by accidental activation of the panic button by a passenger. “A passenger seems to have pressed the panic button, which caused the bus to enter emergency mode and lock. The issue was resolved after a mechanic reset the system,” he said.Singh added that drivers underwent a week-long training programme but were still adapting to the new electric fleet after years of operating diesel buses. “Sometimes different buttons are pressed inadvertently. It will take some time for drivers to become fully familiar with the new systems and controls.”The bus was put back into service after the technical issue was rectified.
