Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, July 1: In one of the worst road tragedies, at least 25 people including three children were charred to death and eight others injured when a private bus overturned and caught fire on the Samruddhi-Mahamarg Expressway in Buldhana district in Maharashtra in the wee hours of Saturday.
About 33 people were travelling in the bus owned by Vidarbha Travels was on its way from Nagpur to Pune. The accident occurred at around 1.30 am between Dusarbid and Sindkedraja at Pimpalkhuta village in the district when the driver lost control of the wheel following a tyre burst and collided with an iron pole and overturned upon ramming into a road median before it caught fire.
Police said the bus overturned after hitting a pole on the expressway in Buldhana district, causing its diesel tank to catch fire. “The driver of the bus, who survived the incident, said that the bus hit the pole after a tyre burst,” they said.
Police said most of the passengers were sleeping at the time of the accident. The bus overturned on the side of the doors, blocking it, because of which nobody could get out, they said. Two drivers and one cleaner were on-board as staff, and one of the drivers was among the dead. The cleaner and another driver had a lucky escape. Those who survived were seated in the cabin on the driver’s side, and smashed the glass window to escape.
“25 people were burnt to death in the accident. The injured have been shifted to a hospital for treatment,” said, Sunil Kadasane, Superintendent of Police, Buldhana. He said investigation is on to ascertain the exact cause of the accident and that the driver has been taken into custody. “The priority at this moment is to identify the bodies and hand them over to their family members,” said Mr Kadasane.
According to eyewitnesses, the bus overturned and came to rest on its left side, with the door buried, leaving no escape route. “Tragically, the passengers were trapped inside. We saw them dying but were not in a position to offer help as the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Either the diesel tank or the supply pipe from the tank to the engine had burst, resulting in the bus catching fire,” said Advocate Sandeep who rushed to the spot to help the victims.
Survivors recounted that those who managed to break the glass windows with their hands were the only ones who could escape. “Everything happened in a fraction. The driver lost control, it overturned and caught fire before we could realise what was happening. Everyone was screaming their lungs out for help, but the ongoing vehicles didn’t care to stop and rescue us. Someone of us managed to escape by breaking the glass windows,” a survivor said.
The police admit that “Highway hypnosis” could be the cause of the Buldhana accident as it has emerged as a major factor of accidents on the Samruddhi Mahamarg. According to data compiled by the Maharashtra Highway Police, it led to 98 accidents or 27 per cent of the total 358 accidents on the stretch between December 11, 2022, when the stretch was inaugurated, and April 30, 2023.
Highway Hypnosis is a phenomenon that generally motorists experience during long, uninterrupted drives on highways. It occurs when the motorists are continuously driving for hours without any breaks and because of the monotonous route the driver zones out while driving. Drivers experience it on smooth, empty highways and the feeling is like sleeping with open eyes and a brief disconnect with the outer world.
Admitting that they were aware of the issue, the state highway police earlier said they were in the process of taking up remedial measures such as putting up flags and reflectors alongside highways to effectively curb such incidents.
As per data, 143 people were critically injured while 236 received minor injuries in the total 358 accidents that have occurred on the Samruddhi Mahamarg since it was opened for public use in December last year.
The second-longest expressway in the country, Samruddhi Mahamarg – officially the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg – was built to reduce travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai from 16 hours to eight once it is fully operational. The total cost of the project is Rs 55,335 crore and it connects 10 districts of Maharashtra.
Many motorists have experienced highway hypnosis on the 520km-long Samruddhi Expressway stretch connecting Nagpur to Shirdi. Since the highway is new, there are no hoardings or billboards on the roadsides or hotels/dhabas that would distract a driver’s mind. This can sometimes lead to serious accidents.
Samruddhi Mahamarg has been opened for public use in two phases, totalling 600 km. The first phase of 520 km between Nagpur and Shirdi was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December last year. While the second phase between Shirdi and Bharvir was inaugurated in May by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. With the opening of this 80 km stretch, 600 km of the 701 km expressway stands complete. Now, only a 100 km portion between Bharvir and Mumbai remains.
The president Droupadi Murmu, the prime minister Modi, the union home minister Amit Shah, the Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, his deputy Devendra Fadnavis, the Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar and many other leaders expressed their deep condolences to the victims of the accident.
While Maharashtra chief minister announced assistance of Rs five lakh to the next of kin of each of the victims, Modi announced an additional Rs two lakhs aids to the family members of the deceased.
President Droupadi Murmu said the heart-wrenching incident of a bus catching fire in Maharashtra claiming more than 25 lives was extremely disturbing and expressed condolences to the bereaved families. “The heart-wrenching tragedy in Buldhana, Maharashtra, claiming many precious lives, including children and women, is extremely disturbing. “My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. May they have enough courage to bear this tragic loss. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Ms. Murmu tweeted
Modi in his condolence message said, “Deeply saddened by the devastating bus mishap in Buldhana, Maharashtra. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected. An ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from PMNRF [Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund] would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the bus mishap in Buldhana. ₹50,000 would be given to the injured,” the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted quoting PM Modi.
Shinde expressed his condolences to the families of 25 persons who lost their lives in the tragic accident and announced an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh for the next of kin of each victim. “It is a tragic road accident. I spoke to Collector, Inspector General of Police and SP, and ordered an inquiry into the incident,” he said. Both Shinde and Fadnavis also visited the accident site.
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