By Our Staff Reporter
Uttarkashi, 23 May: In a distressing incident on the Char Dham Yatra route, a passenger bus carrying pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh overturned on the Gangotri Highway near Nalupani today. As per official sources, eight devotees sustained injuries and were promptly taken to the district hospital for treatment. The condition of all injured is said to be stable.
The bus, reportedly ferrying 45 pilgrims en-route to the Gangotri Dham, suddenly lost control and overturned on the road at a sharp turn near Nalupani. Fortunately, the bus toppled on the road itself and did not plunge into the deep gorge adjacent to the highway, a situation that could have resulted in far graver consequences. Preliminary investigations suggest that excessive speed was probable cause of the mishap.
Upon receiving information, the police personnel and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams in addition to the local administration promptly arrived at the scene. A rescue operation was swiftly carried out and the injured were shifted to the Uttarkashi District Hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the bus was part of a Char Dham Yatra convoy. The accident occurred at a time when the annual pilgrimage is witnessing heavy pilgrim footfall from across India and abroad. Pilgrims have been urged to maintain caution, particularly given the mountainous terrain and sharp curves of Uttarakhand’s hill roads.
It may be recalled that, yesterday, a similar accident occurred in Pauri district when a Bolero vehicle fell into a deep gorge, leading to the death of one woman and severe injuries to six other persons. The rising number of road mishaps during the pilgrimage season has prompted authorities to reiterate the need for strict adherence to traffic norms, speed control, and vehicle fitness verification for all transport operators involved in the yatra.
