The Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway, since its Phase-1 inauguration in December last year, has witnessed more than 350 accidents, with the deadliest one occuring earlier today. Twenty-six passengers were killed last night when their bus, which was going from Nagpur to Pune, crashed and caught fire.
The driver apparently lost control of the bus after its tyre burst. It overturned and crashed into the divider, causing the fuel tank to explode. The vehicle was soon engulfed in flames, killing 26 of the 33 passengers in the bus, most of who were sleeping. The driver, Danish, managed to escape. He told the police that the bus was purchased by the travel company in 2020.
The accident has put the spotlight on a phenomenon called highway hypnosis, which drivers face when they drive unhindered on highways for long distances. It is a trance-like state in which a driver can go on driving on long traffic-free roads that have dedicated lanes. Almost a third of accidents that have taken place so far on the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway have been due to highway hypnosis, said Maharashtra police. With long monotonous stretch of roads like Samruddhi, there is also the danger of drivers falling asleep at the wheel.
It is yet to be ascertained which of these caused the accident, and whether the driver of the ill-fated bus woke up only when he realised the tyre had burst.
All political parties have expressed grief over the loss of life in the tragic accident. The BJP has cancelled its rally in Mumbai following the accident.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh to kin of the deceased. He said that all the injured passengers will be treated at the best hospitals and that the government would bear the expenses.
The Union government, too, has announced Rs 2 lakh.
Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Pimpalkhuta village in Buldhana district, where the accident occurred in the wee hours of Saturday.
Officially named 'Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg', the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway is a pet project of Fadnavis.