‘Rash driving, overloading causes of Angul bus mishap’

Bhubaneswar/Angul: A day after the tragic bus accident that claimed six lives in Angul, the district administration held rash driving and over loading responsible for the mishap.

Based on the report of three-member probe committee formed by the administration, Angul Collector Anil Samal also made the carelessness of the biker, who was also killed after being by the ill-fated bus, as another cause of the accident.

He said the vehicle carried 69 passengers against the prescribed capacity of 46.

Meanwhile, the Road Transport department mulled some new guidelines to check the rising road accidents. "The department has decided to make it mandatory that every bus would mention their seating and standing capacity. The government will launch a toll-free number soon through which any passenger can lodge complaint of overloading. The toll free number would be written in all buses", Majhi said.

The minister added that steps would be taken to identify the accident-prone area for which the Transport department will soon convene a meeting with NHAI and Public Works department.

Five passengers and a motorcyclist died while 34 passengers were injured after a private bus-‘Janhamamu’- in which they were travelling fell off a bridge near Tukuda under Jarpada block, about 20 km from Angul, on National Highway-55 after colliding with a bike.

The ill-fated bus was on the way to Athmallik from Angul carrying more than 40 passengers when the driver lost control of the vehicle which collided with a bike and later fell off the bridge.

While the biker and two passengers died on the spot, two others were declared received dead at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. Later, another passenger succumbed to his injuries at the SCB hospital.