In the early hours of Sunday, a tragic accident occurred on the Samruddhi Expressway in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district when a high-speed mini-bus collided with a container truck, resulting in the loss of at least 12 lives and leaving 23 others injured.
A total of 35 passengers were onboard the private bus, and they were on their way back to Nashik following a visit to the Sailani Baba dargah in Buldhana district, according to an official statement.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight on Sunday in the Vaijapur area of the expressway, which is approximately 80 km from the district headquarters and 350 km from the state capital, Mumbai, according to officials.
The bus driver lost control of the vehicle, resulting in a collision with a stationary container truck near the Jambargaon toll plaza, as reported by police officials.
Evidently, the mini-bus was carrying an excess of passengers. Although its capacity was for 17 individuals, nearly 35 passengers were on board, as confirmed by an official from the Vaijapur police station to PTI.
Tragically, twelve passengers lost their lives, including five men, six women, and a minor girl, as detailed by Inspector Shyamsundar Kavthale from Vaijapur police station.
Furthermore, 23 others sustained injuries and were subsequently transported to the hospital. The bus driver was among those injured, with the official noting that he had suffered a head injury.
Following a call to the Samruddhi Expressway control room through the RTO at 12:07 am, an assistance team and an ambulance were dispatched and reached the accident site within minutes, as disclosed by an official from the Samruddhi Expressway control room to PTI.
The bus driver claimed to have suddenly encountered the truck in front of his vehicle just prior to the accident. Consequently, the truck driver has been detained, as reported by the bus driver.
Local residents also alerted the police to the incident.
"The accident took place on the first lane from the crash barrier side where the vehicles are supposed to move at a speed of 80 km per hour. The mini-bus collided with the truck on the first lane from the road shoulder. We had to cut a part of the mini-bus from the driver's side to bring people out of the vehicle," an official from the expressway control room said.
The deceased have been identified as Tanushri Solse (5), Sangeeta Aswale (40), Panjabi Jagtap (38), Kajal Solse (32), Rajani Tapase (32), Hausabai Shirsat (70), Zumbar Gangurde (58), Amol Gangurde (18), Sarika Gangurde (40), Milind Pagare (50), Deepak Kekane (47), all from Nashik, and Ratan Jamdade (45) from Vaijapur in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the police said.
Ex gratia announced by the government along with condolences for the deaths
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident.
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a post on X said an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) would be given to the next of kin of each deceased and the injured persons would be given Rs 50,000.
The PMO in a post on X said, "Pained by the loss of lives due to an accident in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. I wish the injured a speedy recovery. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000."
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday ordered a probe into a road accident on the Samruddhi Expressway which claimed 12 lives.
The kin of each of the deceased will get a compensation of Rs five lakh from the state government, Shinde said.
Chief Minister Shinde termed the incident as unfortunate and in a post on X said he has given directives to find out reasons behind the fatal accident near Vaijapur.
Orders have also been given to take strict action against those found responsible for it, he said.
The state government will bear the expenses of treatment of the injured persons, the CM added.
State Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a message on X said the injured persons were admitted to Ghati civil hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city, while some of the injured persons were being treated at the Vaijapur hospital.
The Regional Transport Office (RTO) at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has commenced an inquiry into the accident, an official said.
Leader of Opposition in the state legislative council Ambadas Danve claimed the mini-bus collided with the truck after an RTO team stopped the truck.
Vehicles should be checked by the RTO after they cross the interchange toll and before entering the expressway, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.
A team of the RTO stopped the running truck on the expressway, therefore the minibus collided with the truck, Danve said in a post on X, while terming the accident as "manmade".
"The Samruddhi Expressway has become a business road. Police and RTO should stop vehicles on this expressway for a valid reason, which is not happening here. They should have checked the mini-bus which was overloaded," he told reporters.
"Vehicles should not be stopped on the expressway, otherwise what is the purpose of this expressway. Stopping vehicles in such a way is like inviting death on this expressway. Action should be taken against RTO officials who purposely stop vehicles on this expressway," Danve said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed commuters' safety was overlooked on the Samruddhi Expressway.
"Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis only want to claim credit, they should also take the responsibility of deaths due to accidents on the expressway," he said.
