(Photo: IANS)
Surat, June 2 (IANS) At least seven people were killed and around 15 others injured after a major road accident involving two Maharashtra State Transport (ST) buses and a tractor near Uva-Manekpor village in Bardoli taluka of Gujarat's Surat district on Tuesday, officials said.
According to preliminary information, a Maharashtra ST bus travelling from Dhule to Surat via Navapur collided with a tractor moving ahead of it on the highway.
The impact caused the bus to cross the central divider and crash head-on into another Maharashtra ST bus approaching from the opposite direction.
One of the buses carried about 25 to 26 passengers, while the other had about 33 to 35.
The collision caused one of the buses to overturn multiple times before bursting into flames. The bus then rolled down an embankment after the crash.
Authorities said a number of passengers became trapped inside the vehicle after flames engulfed it, complicating rescue efforts.
Officials have so far confirmed seven deaths in the accident. However, authorities fear the toll could rise as some of the injured are reported to be in serious condition.
Around 15 injured passengers were rescued from the wreckage and shifted to various hospitals for treatment.
Emergency teams continued to assess the condition of those involved while authorities worked to identify all passengers travelling on the buses.
Fire brigade personnel, police officers, and ambulance teams rushed to the scene and launched a large-scale rescue and relief operation.
Firefighters battled the blaze while rescue workers evacuated passengers and searched the damaged vehicles for anyone trapped inside.
The accident also triggered a lengthy traffic jam on the highway, with vehicular movement affected for several hours as emergency services cleared the site and conducted rescue operations.
Police have begun an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Further details are awaited as authorities continue to collect information about the victims and the circumstances leading to the crash.
PM Modi announces ex-gratia relief for Surat bus crash victims
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed grief over the fatal road accident in Gujarat's Surat district that claimed at least seven lives and left around 15 people injured, and announced financial assistance for the victims and their families from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
In a post on social media platform X, the Prime Minister said he was "deeply pained" by the tragedy and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families.
"Deeply pained to hear about a mishap in Surat district, Gujarat. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. Rescue operations are underway, and authorities are providing all possible assistance at the accident site," PM Modi said.
He also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs two lakh from the PMNRF to the next of kin of each person killed in the accident, while those injured will receive Rs 50,000 each.
The announcement came hours after a major collision involving two Maharashtra State Transport (ST) buses and a tractor near Uva-Manekpor village in Bardoli taluka of Surat district.
According to preliminary information, a Maharashtra ST bus travelling from Dhule to Surat via Navapur rammed into a tractor moving ahead of it.
Following the impact, the bus crossed the central divider and collided head-on with another Maharashtra ST bus travelling in the opposite direction.
Officials said one bus was carrying around 25 to 26 passengers, while the other had approximately 33 to 35 passengers on board. The force of the collision caused one of the buses to overturn multiple times before catching fire.
The blaze reportedly trapped several passengers inside the vehicle, making rescue efforts more difficult.
Fire brigade personnel, police teams, and ambulance services rushed to the spot and carried out an extensive rescue operation.
Authorities have confirmed seven deaths so far, while around 15 injured passengers were shifted to various hospitals for treatment.
Officials are continuing to verify the identities of passengers and assess the condition of those injured.
The accident also led to severe traffic congestion on the highway for several hours. Police have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the crash.
