Himachal Pradesh bus accident: State order enquiry, announces compensation of Rs 5 lakh to 28 victim

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Transport Minister G S Bali on Friday announced an immediate relief of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the Below Poverty Line and Above Poverty Line to Friday’s bus accident victims, respectively.

Bali, who visited the accident spot, said a magisterial enquiry has been ordered into the incident and the sub-district magistrate has been asked to submit the report within 15 days. He said it appears that rash driving was responsible for the incident as the road was “quite wide” at the accident spot. At least 28 passengers were killed and eight injured when a bus plunged into a 500-feet-deep gorge in Rampur district. Giving details, he said the 37-seater bus was registered on July 31, 2012 for five years. Bali said in order to put a tab on accidents, the safety stickers would be pasted on the vehicles. A provision of Rs 50 crores have been made for erecting crash barriers on the roads out of which Rs 16 crore is being spent in Rampur area, he said.