Tragedy on Mountain Roads: Overloaded bus plunges into deep gorge near Marchula in Almora, Uttarakhand
In a devastating accident on November 4, at least 36 passengers lost their lives, and 19 others were injured when a bus plunged into a deep gorge in Uttarakhand's Almora district. The tragic incident occurred as the bus, carrying over 40 passengers, was traveling from Nainidanda in Pauri district to Ramnagar in Nainital. It veered off course in the Salt area near Marchula and fell into the gorge.
Emergency response teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police, were immediately deployed to conduct rescue operations. Almora's Superintendent of Police, Devendra Pincha, stated that the death toll may rise as efforts to retrieve victims continue. Preliminary findings suggest that overloading may have been a contributing factor in the accident.
The accident was initially reported around 9 a.m. by passengers who were thrown out during the fall, allowing authorities to mobilize quickly. The tragedy has drawn national attention, with both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announcing immediate aid measures for the victims' families.
Prime Minister Modi expressed deep condolences, announcing ex-gratia payments of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. Chief Minister Dhami further extended support with Rs 4 lakh for each bereaved family and Rs 1 lakh for the injured. Dhami also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and suspended the Assistant Regional Transport Officer (Enforcement) for the area to investigate any administrative oversights.
The tragic accident serves as a reminder of the need for stringent safety measures on Uttarakhand's challenging mountain roads.
