16 October,2023 05:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
Witnesses say the driver was speeding and could not hit the brakes in time afer spotting the lorry
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Did RTO officials stopping a lorry in the middle of Samruddhi Highway amid speeding vehicles lead to the crash last night? Locals and eyewitnesses told rescuers that a patrol team of the Regional Transport Office had stopped the lorry that was passing along the highway leading it to slow down and stop amid speeding vehicles. The mini-bus could not stop in time and crashed into the truck from the rear. Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar promised mid-day a thorough probe in the matter.
Investigations are on to find out why the truck was stopped in the middle of the highway. Pic/PTI
Eyewitnesses and a few victims at the hospital said the bus dashed into the lorry had been stopped by RTO officials. The bus was speeding and the driver could not apply the brakes immediately on spotting the stopped lorry, resulting in the collision.
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"RTO officials were in the MSRDC-provided patrolling vehicle and on duty and were the first ones to call the control room. The accident happened at midnight and the first call to the control room was from them about 12.04am. We are trying to find out what exactly happened," a senior RTO official said.
"Why was the lorry stopped in the middle of the road and who stopped it? When there are specific instructions that no vehicle should be stopped or halted in the middle of the highway. Who were these officials? Was the lorry stopped for a bribe? It has been already specified that checks should happen only at entry-exit points of the highway. Also, the bus meant to be ferrying about 17 passengers was carrying nearly 35 of them. Was this not checked when the bus entered the highway?" leader of the Opposition Ambadas Danve said.
RTO officials said there will be a thorough probe into this and the role of officials involved will be investigated and action taken accordingly. "There will be an investigation. I have already ordered it," Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, who heads RTO in the state, told mid-day.
12
Time at night that the accident occured
35
No. of people in bus against capacity of 17
