The horrific bus accident that occurred on Monday morning near Mirzaguda in Chevella Mandal, Ranga Reddy district, plunged the Telugu states into deep sorrow. The accident happened when an RTC bus traveling from Tandur towards Hyderabad was struck by a gravel truck coming from the wrong route at excessive speed. The tragedy resulted in 19 fatalities and injuries to 35 others, including the deaths of both the bus driver and the truck driver.
Key Causes Revealed in Preliminary Report
According to the preliminary official report, the accident was caused by multiple factors stemming from the truck driver’s negligence:
- Gross Overloading: The Tipper truck, with a capacity of 35 tonnes, was illegally loaded with a massive 60 tonnes of gravel.
- Wrong Route and High Speed: The truck was traveling on the wrong side of the road and at an excessively high speed in a prohibited area.
- Loss of Control: The combination of overloading and speeding caused the driver to lose control after hitting a pothole near a sharp turn, leading the truck to overturn onto the bus. The passengers were trapped under the gravel.
Government Response and Expert Warnings
The state government immediately responded to the incident. Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar announced ex-gratia payments of ₹5 lakh to the families of the deceased and ₹2 lakh to the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced compensation of ₹2 lakh for the deceased families. Experts have pointed out that the accident highlights severe flaws in the vehicle inspection system and a lack of road safety infrastructure. They strongly recommended that the government strengthen traffic monitoring with modern technology and take strict action against overloading and wrong-route driving.
