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At least 29 people were killed and 18 others injured when a bus careered off a notorious Indian highway after the driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel, officials said yesterday.
The bus was carrying more than 50 people along the Yamuna expressway known as the “highway to hell” because of the number of fatal accidents when it crashed through a concrete barrier and plunged more than 12 metres (40 feet) into a drainage canal.
“It appears that the driver was drowsy,” said Agra district magistrate N.G. Ravi Kumar, who provided the number of dead and injured. The bus was travelling from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh to Delhi when the accident happened just before dawn, some 20 kilometres (12 miles) near Agra, home of the Taj Mahal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh offered condolences to those affected and promised assistance to the injured. Local residents said they were woken by the crash and found the mangled bus submerged in blackish-grey water. Police said it landed on its roof in a drain, where running water complicated rescue efforts.
State Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered an investigation, as well as cash compensation of 500,000 rupees ($7,289) for the families of those killed. “The committee will give a report on the cause of the accident and also suggest long-term measures to avoid such mishaps,” government official Awanish Awasthi said.
The Yamuna expressway was intended to be a symbol of modernity when it was opened speeding up journey times from Delhi to the key region but authorities admit there are key safety concerns.
