Shinde-led govt not doing anything to stop accidents on Samruddhi expressway: Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 1 : Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a bus tragedy in Maharashtra's Buldhana, and targeted the Eknath Shinde-led government.

In a statement, Thackeray said, "The Buldhana accident should open the government's eyes as more than 300 people have lost their lives on the expressway since it was opened last year. The government has not made any plan to prevent accidents."

Earlier today, at around 1:30 am the bus on the Samruddhi-Mahamarg Expressway in Maharashtra's Buldhana met with an accident in which 25 people died and eight sustained injuries.

"The bus driver and conductor have been taken into custody by police," said Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan earlier today.

"The bus was travelling from Nagpur to Pune when it met with an accident at around 1:30 am. The driver said that the accident took place after a tyre burst, leading to flames in the bus. Later the diesel tank of the vehicle caught fire. There are three children among those who died and the rest are adults. The exact reason for the accident has not yet been ascertained," Buldhana Superintendant of Police (SP) Sunil Kadasane told reporters.

According to police, a total of 33 people were travelling in the bus which was on its way to Pune. The bus owner, Virendra Darna, also said that the tyre burst caused the accident.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those who died in the bus accident in Buldhana on the Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway.

He has also announced Rs 50,000 to those who were injured in the mishap.

"Deeply saddened by the devastating bus mishap in Buldhana, Maharashtra. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF (Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the bus mishap in Buldhana. Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted quoting PM Modi.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed his grief over the accident and called it "heartbreaking".

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