Volvo bus inferno: NHAI debunks faulty road theory

December 13, 2013

TNN |

HYDERABAD: After the Volvo accident at Palem in Mahbubnagar district, fingers were pointed at the faulty road geometrics by various government agencies, including Crime Investigation Department (CID), during their preliminary enquiry.

However, to the shock of CID officials, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) senior officials on Wednesday wrote a letter to additional director-general of police (CID) T.Krishna Prasad, asserting that the road design is ‘flawless’.

Credible sources in the CID told TOI that, in a written reply to it, the NHAI asserted this point.

The CID sought NHAI’s opinion to know if there was any defect in the road design, especially near the culvert, where the driver of Jabbar Travels bus hit the structure. Forty-five passengers were charred to death in the incident. “Project director, NHAI, Ramesh Reddy said that there was absolutely no fault with the culvert design or its construction,” the sources said.

Family members of the bus victims have been knocking on the door of every institution, including Lokayukta, demanding action against influential JC Uma Reddy in whose name the bus was registered. But she is yet to be questioned by CID officials.

Investigators said scrutinizing documents was almost done and soon Uma Reddy, bus driver, bus operator, ticket booking agents, RTA officials and others would be questioned. The RTA officials are likely to be investigated as there were 52 passengers against the actual seating capacity of 43+2.

 

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