Less than a fortnight after the accident on the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway that killed 25 people, another mishap on it left 19 people, including an 11-year-old boy, injured. There were 30 passengers on board a luxury bus that collided with a trailer from behind it around 2.30 am on Wednesday near Aurangabad.
Updated On: 2023-07-13 10:50 AM IST
Compiled by : Editor
“It happened near Sawangi when the bus accelerated and collided with the truck in front of it. We suspect the bus driver fell asleep. A case has been registered against the travel company, and the driver will be taken into custody once his treatment is completed,” said PI Ravindra Nilenge of Fulambri police station, located 20 km from the accident site. (Representative Image: File photo)
Out of the injured passengers, 12 were transported by ambulances to Ghati Hospital, where they received first-aid and were discharged. “None of them had any major injuries. No one was admitted,” said Dr Vijay Kalyankar, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital. (Representative Image: File photo)
The remaining eight injured individuals were admitted to Aurangabad’s Medicover Hospital. They included the 11-year-old boy. “While most of them have been diagnosed with mild hairline fractures and spinal trauma, the injuries are not severe. However, two individuals may need to undergo surgery, but everyone is in a stable condition,” said Dr Anthony Patole, CMO of Medicover Hospital. (Representative Image: File photo)
Addressing the recurring accidents on the expressway, Additional Director General (Traffic) Ravinder Kumar Singal, said overspeeding, driver fatigue and tyre bursts were contributing factors. Singal emphasised the importance of seat belts, stating they have saved lives in such unfortunate incidents. Regarding the incident on Wednesday, Singal said, “Considering that the road is huge, there is no rational reason for a collision from behind, apart from the driver’s sleepiness.” (Representative Image: File photo)
Singal proposed implementing a log-in system, similar to those used abroad, where drivers are required to log in their driving hours. This system will enable road authorities to monitor and regulate the duration of driver shifts. “It will make it mandatory for the driver to log in their license when required. Through the system road authorities will understand how many hours he has been driving,” Singal said. (Representative Image: File photo)
