One dead in Delhi as bus loses control, rams into 5 vehicles near NFC

One person died and at least four others were injured when a public bus being run under the cluster scheme rammed several vehicles at a traffic signal near the Holy Family Hospital in south-east Delhi on Wednesday evening, police said.

The police added that the left leg of one of the injured people had to be amputated due to severe injuries.

The cluster buses are private stage carriage buses that run on a group of routes or clusters. They are operated by the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) Ltd, a joint venture between the Delhi government and IDFC Foundation (a non-profit).

The police said that it was yet to be ascertained whether the accident took place due to a mechanical error or because of rash driving.

However,a DIMTS official said that no brake-related defect was reported in the bus during maintenance in the last seven days.

Rajesh Deo, the deputy commissioner of police (south-east), said the incident took place at 4.40pm near Masih Garh Chowk, near New Friends Colony area. An orange cluster bus on route number 534 rammed several vehicles at the Sarai Julena traffic signal, he said.

“The cluster bus with passengers on board was coming from Nehru Place and headed to Anand Vihar via Modi Mills. The bus had to turn left at Sarai Julena traffic signal, but it allegedly hit three vehicles – a scooter, a car and an auto-rickshaw – waiting at the signal, leaving five people injured. The injured were later taken to a nearby hospital, where the doctors declared one of them brought dead. The deceased, who has not yet been identified, was driving a scooter carrying a few bundles of sarees on the pillion seat. The injured persons have been identified as Mohammad Saghir, Sajadul Islam, Mohammad Kalimuddin and Mohammad Tahsin. While Saghir’s left leg had to be amputated due to severe injuries, the others suffered minor injuries only,” he said.

“The passengers on the bus managed to escape without any injuries. The driver of the bus fled the spot. The exact reason behind the crash can only be ascertained after a mechanical inspection of the bus. All the CCTV cameras installed in and around the spot of accident are being scanned, to establish the sequence of events. Efforts are being made to trace the absconding driver,” the DCP said.

He also said that a case has been registered at New Friends Colony police station and statements of the injured are being recorded.

According to traffic police data, DTC buses were involved in 37 fatal crashes and cluster buses were involved in 21 crashes last year in which a total of 39 people were killed. In 2021, 37 people were killed in 33 accidents involving public buses in Delhi. Of these, 11 accidents involved Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses and 22 concerned cluster buses.

DIMTS officials said that a team of senior officials is investigating the matter, and added that all possible remedial measures will be taken.

“It was a case of rash and negligent driving. The services of the driver have been terminated with immediate effect. He was recruited by the concessionaire in 2018. He meets our statutory compliances as per documents. Further action will be taken based on police investigation,” said C K Goyal, vice-president (road transport), DIMTS.