Maharashtra CM pays tribute to victims who lost their lives in Surat bus collision
Mumbai, June 3
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday paid tribute to the seven people who lost their lives in an accident involving an ST bus from Maharashtra in Surat district of Gujarat
The head-on collision of a Maharashtra State Transport bus and a water tanker on National Highway 56 along the Bardoli-Vyara stretch in Surat district claimed the lives of at least seven people and injured 38.
"The accident involving an ST bus from Maharashtra in Surat district of Gujarat, resulting in the death of some individuals, is an extremely tragic incident. I pay my heartfelt tribute to them. We share in the grief of their families. The ST and Jalgaon district administrations are in contact with the Surat district administration, and all necessary assistance is being provided. Complete care is being taken of those injured in this accident. I pray at the feet of God for their swift recovery," he wrote.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
The Prime Minister also announced a financial assistance of Rs 50,000 for those injured in the accident, emphasising that rescue operations are actively underway and local authorities are providing all possible assistance at the accident site.
In a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on X, PM Modi said, "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".
"An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," the PMO statement further read.
Earlier, according to a top police officer, the collision occurred on the stretch leading from Bardoli towards Vyara and following the severe collision, one of the buses caught fire.
Inspector General (IG), Surat (Rural), Prem Vir Singh, stated that the accident was triggered after a passenger bus rammed into a water tanker from behind, crossed the divider and collided head-on with another bus coming from the opposite direction.
"A water tanker was travelling ahead on the road. A bus carrying passengers collided with the tanker from behind. The driver of the bus lost control of the steering wheel; the bus crossed the divider and collided with another bus approaching from the opposite direction," IG Singh told ANI.
"The injured individuals have been admitted to various hospitals across Bardoli. An investigation is currently underway to determine exactly how many other people, if any, were present on the buses," he stated.
The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examinations, and further details are awaited.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Bahut dukhad khabar hai. Main rozana highway use karti hoon aur aise accidents ka dar rehta hai. ST buses ka maintenance check hona chahiye, aur drivers ko proper rest dena zaroori hai. Lekin is news mein jo IG ne bus ka driver control kho diya kaha, iska matlab hai shayad driver so gaya ho. Sad situation overall.
Deeply saddened by this horrific accident in Surat. Seven lives lost is far too many, and 38 injured—that's a lot of families affected. It's good to see state and central governments responding quickly with compensation, but I really hope they also focus on preventing such head-on collisions in the future. Highway safety audits and better road barriers could save many lives. My thoughts are with all victims.
While the condolences are appreciated, I must say the compensation amounts feel woefully inadequate for the loss of a life. Rs 2 lakh for a family who lost their breadwinner? That's nothing in today's economy. We need stronger accident insurance for public transport users and mandatory black boxes in buses to analyze such crashes. Also, why was a water tanker on a highway without proper safety markers? Justice is not just in words but in systemic change.
Terrible accident. It's concerning how common these bus-tanker collisions are becoming. I've driven on NH 56 near Bardoli and the road can be tricky with sudden curves. Let's hope the investigation is transparent. Also, a shout-out to the rescue teams—quick response can make the difference between life and death. Prayers from Canada for all impacted 🙏
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