Front wheel hanging over edge, Noida school bus narrowly escapes plunge into canal

A major accident was averted on Wednesday morning when a school bus carrying 10 children almost went over bank of a canal with its left front wheel hanging over the edge in Jewar area of Greater Noida.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place around 7.30am on the Rabupura-Jewar route when the driver of the school bus lost control of the bus on the muddy road near the canal. The bus came to a halt at the brink of the canal, with its front wheel hanging over the edge. The bus belonged to Agrasen Public School in Dayanatpur village of Jewar Kasba in Greater Noida.

“The bus was on its way towards Nagla Basona village in Jewar from Sigara village in Rabupura after picking up students from their residences. On the Rabupura to Jewar route, there is a muddy patch of road alongside the canal. A buggy was coming from the opposite side and the driver swerved the bus to the left to give way to the buggy. However, the muddy road alongside the canal collapsed under the weight of the bus,” Navneet Goyal, managing director, Agrasen Public School, Jewar, said.

Children, aged between 12 and 14 years, were rescued from the bus by bystanders. The bus was then pulled back from the canal. “We have all the documents of our buses in place,” Goyal said, adding that no one was injured in the accident.

“No one was injured. We brought all students to school safely and classes continued as usual,” Goyal said.

Police said that no case was registered in the matter. “By the time a police team reached the spot, the bus had already been pulled back and was on its way to the school. No case was registered as there was no accident,” said SS Bhati, station house officer, Jewar police station.

Jewar MLA Thakur Dhirendra Singh also took cognizance of the incident on social media and said,“We expect action against irresponsible officers and contractors. Those responsible for putting lives in danger should be severely dealt with (sic).”