At least 20 people were killed and several others were injured after a truck loaded with gravel collided with a Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) bus in Chevella town of Ranga Reddy district on Monday morning, November 3.
The accident took place on the Hyderabad–Bijapur National Highway TGSRTC bus was coming from the Tandur depot near Mirzaguda village. The collision was so severe that the front section of the bus was completely destroyed and gravel fell on passengers resulting in trapping several inside and killing them.
After receiving the information, the rescue team, including local police, ambulance, rushed to the spot. The JCBs were brought for rescue to clear the debris and pull out survivors. The deceased among them are a truck, a bus driver and a month-old baby.
At least 15 passengers were sent to the nearby hospital for treatment after rescuing them from debris, an official told Telangana Today. The serious passengers were transferred to the Chevella Government Hospital. Doctors said the condition of five victims remains critical.
The ill-fated bus from Tandur RTC depot was carrying more than 50 passengers, mostly students and office-goers travelling to Hyderabad. The reached a curve near Mirzapur, the high speed truck lost control of the vehicle and rammed into a TGSRTC bus and turned over. As a result, the gravel load truck fell on the bus, causing a major tragedy.
The accident led to a massive traffic jam on the Hyderabad–Bijapur National Highway. Several vehicles were seen lined up for several kilometres on the Chevella–Vikarabad stretch.
ADG Mahesh Bhagwat said, "Today morning, while this bus of Vikarabad depot was going towards Hyderabad, a tipper was coming from Hyderabad side, from Chevella toward Vikarabad. There was a head-on collision, it seems that the tipper was travelling at a very high speed and it rammed into this bus...As per the conductor's statement, there were around 72 people on the bus. We are verifying that."
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, said "profound shock" from the accident in hevella Mandal of Ranga Reddy District. "The visuals of the accident have been heart-wrenching,". He added.
Reddy said that he spoke with the State Chief Secretary and the State DGP on the accident. "I have instructed that the injured be shifted to Hyderabad for better medical treatment. I have directed the Collector, local MLAs, and Transport Minister Sri Ponnam Prabhakar to visit the accident site and oversee relief measures," he added.