Following Tuesday’s accident involving a private bus on Yercaud Ghat Road that claimed five lives and left 64 passengers injured, the Yercaud police on Wednesday registered a case against the driver of the bus, who was also injured in the accident and is undergoing treatment.
The bus, with 69 passengers on board, was travelling from Yercaud to Salem when the driver, identified as Mani, lost control of the vehicle near the 13th hairpin bend, causing it to hit a sidewall, fall into a gorge and land on the 11th hairpin bend. While three passengers died on the way to a hospital, two died at the hospital. Collector R. Brindha Devi inspected the accident spot and visited the injured at the hospital.
On Wednesday, the Yercaud police registered a case under Sections 279 (driving a vehicle in a negligent manner, thereby endangering human life), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life), 338 (causing grievous hurt) and 304 (a) (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code. The driver will be arrested once he is discharged from the hospital, the police said.
The Collector has asked the Regional Transport Department and the police to ensure that vehicles run only at 30 kmph on the Ghat Road, and take action against those who violate the norms. Since the flow of tourists to the hill station is on the rise in view of the summer, the Collector has also instructed officials to ensure that only experienced drivers operate vehicles on the Ghat Road.
On Wednesday, all heavy vehicles plying from Salem to Yercaud through the Ghat Road were inspected at the foothills by Regional Transport Officers and the police. They checked the brakes of buses and heavy vehicles, and the level of experience of the drivers. The drivers were instructed to operate the vehicles within the prescribed speed limit and exercise caution while negotiating hairpin bends. The Ghat Road in the Servarayan range has 20 hairpin bends.
