7 killed, 40 hurt as 2 buses collide near Surat

PTI

Surat

At least seven persons were killed and around 40 were injured after two buses operated by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) collided near Bardoli town in Gujarat’s Surat district on Tuesday, and one of them caught fire, police said. All the deceased were travelling in the bus that caught fire. The incident occurred on National Highway No 53 near Uva village, officials said, adding that the road connects Maharashtra with Gujarat.

Surat district Superintendent of Police Rajesh Ghadhiya said one of the buses was travelling from Surat to Dhule, while the other was headed towards Surat from Chalisgaon in Maharashtra.

“On the highway from Bardoli to Vyara, the bus headed to Maharashtra hit a tractor. After losing balance, it jumped the divider and collided with the bus coming from the Maharashtra side, causing it to overturn and land in a low-lying area beside the road. The bus caught fire,” said Ghadhiya.

He said teams of police, fire brigade and officials from Surat rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations immediately.

“We rescued several passengers trapped in the bus and shifted the injured to Bardoli hospital. Around 40 people sitting in both buses received injuries, while seven people lost their lives. All the deceased were in the bus that caught fire,” he said.

In Mumbai, state Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of those killed in the bus accident, dubbing it “extremely tragic and painful”.

The MSRTC chairman also paid tributes to the passengers and MSRTC employees who lost their lives in the accident and conveyed condolences to their families, according to a statement. “The heirs of the deceased will be provided assistance of Rs 10 lakh each,” Sarnaik said.

He directed authorities to ensure free and the best possible medical treatment for the injured passengers.