NEW DELHI, Nov 4: In one of the worst road accidents in the Himalayan terrains in Uttarakhand, at least 36 people travelling by a private bus were killed and other 24 passengers injured when it fell into a deep gorge in Almora district on Monday.
Almora District Disaster Management Officer Vineet Pal said there were around 60 people on board the 43-seater bus when the accident took place. He suspected that overloading of the vehicle could have led to the accident. District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey said the bus, operated by the Garhwal Motor Owner Association, was on its way from Pauri in Garhwal region to Ramnagar in Kumaon about 250 km away when the accident took place around 8 am after an overnight journey.
The bus plunged into a 200-metre gorge and landed close to a rivulet in Almora’s Marchula area just 35 km before its destination Ramnagar. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the next of those killed in the accident and a financial assistance of ₹1 lakh for the injured, according to an official statement.
Four of the injured were serious out of which three were airlifted to AIIMS, Rishikesh and one was taken to Sushila Tiwari Hospital, Haldwani, Police and personnel of the National and State Disaster Response Forces rushed to the spot to launch a search and rescue operation, Mr Pandey said.
Assistant Regional Transport Officers of Pauri and Almora were suspended following the accident in which a magisterial probe has been ordered. Visuals from the area pointed to the magnitude of the accident, the vehicle reduced to a mangled mess as it rolled down the forested, rocky slope and stopped just short of a stream. Rescuers could be seen working to pull out the passengers.
Mr Pal said 36 people were killed in the accident and 24 injured. The Garhwal Motor Owners Association bus was carrying people returning after spending the long weekend at home to work.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased in the mishap. The injured would be given ₹50,000.
Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister Dhami said on X, “Received very sad news of casualties of passengers in the unfortunate bus accident that took place in Marchula of Almora district. The district administration has been instructed to conduct relief and rescue operations swiftly.” “The local administration and SDRF teams are working swiftly to evacuate the injured and take them to the nearest health centre for treatment. Instructions have also been given to airlift the seriously injured passengers, if required,” he said.
(Manas Dasgupta)