Garhwal Post Bureau
Mussoorie, 22 Jul: A major accident was narrowly averted on Wednesday in Mussoorie. A jeep heading towards Ghantaghar suddenly lost control and veered off the road at the ‘Hawaghar Bend’, located below the Mussoorie Cantonment Board area. One of the vehicle’s wheels ended up hanging over the edge of the road, causing panic at the scene. Fortunately, instead of panicking, the driver displayed presence of mind; he stopped the vehicle in time and managed to step out safely. Even a slight error could have caused the vehicle to plunge into the deep gorge, potentially resulting in a major tragedy. According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle went out of control upon reaching the bend and drifted to the roadside. Bystanders were terrified to see the vehicle tilting towards the gorge. A crowd gathered at the spot following the incident, and efforts to safely retrieve the vehicle continued for quite some time.
Locals state that the Havaghar Bend in the Cantonment Board area has long been a site of frequent accidents. The bend is extremely sharp, and there are inadequate safety measures along the roadside. The road becomes slippery during the monsoon season, further increasing the risk of vehicles losing control. Following the incident, local residents and drivers have demanded that the Cantonment Board administration install sturdy crash barriers along the roadside. They point out that there have been numerous previous instances of vehicles skidding or losing control at this bend. They warn that unless timely safety measures are implemented, a major accident could occur in the future.
