Kolkata: 11 injured as bus hits Maa flyover pillar

KOLKATA: Eleven passengers had a narrow escape after the private bus they were travelling by rammed into one of the pillars of Maa flyover.
All 11 were lucky to come out alive with injuries, some minor and some severe. The incident took place around 8.30am on Wednesday near the Park Circus connector close to Maa flyover bifurcation, opposite Tiljala Covid safe home.
One of the passengers received stitches, while two others were injured in their faces. The rest suffered minor wounds. The driver and conductor of the bus — plying on route KB 21 between Ganganagar and Bantala — fled after the accident.
This is the third bus accident in as many days, leading to one death and 14 injuries. The police said they have carried out a forensic examination to find out how the accident took place after the bus drove into Pillar 33. “The passengers that we spoke to said the bus was at a high speed but was not racing with another bus. It seems the left front tyre of the bus burst due to speeding and the driver lost control. Instead of slamming into another vehicle, he swerved right and hit the pillar. The front driver’s side has taken maximum impact. Thus, we have asked the forensic experts to give us their opinion,” said an officer from Pragati Maidan police.
The Tiljala traffic guard that helped rescue the passengers said it was important to ascertain the condition of the tyre that burst, along with the brakes of the vehicle. “We need to know if the bus was fit to be on road. A mechanical test will be done. The question is about the condition of the bus, rather than whether it was racing or not,” stated an officer.
KMDA officials said apparently nothing suggested that the pier had been damaged. “Whether any internal structural damage has occurred or not can be detected only after tests,” said an official. Officials suggested that to minimize such accident’s impact on flyover piers, authorities have to set up median dividers with piers to reduce speed.