The driver and roughly 70 passengers on a TSRTC bus were caught in a deadly accident near Chevella, Rangareddy district, when a truck carrying crushed stone chips rammed into the vehicle and its load spilled into the bus.
What Happened
- The accident occurred early Monday morning on the Hyderabad–Bijapur highway, near Mirzaguda in Chevella mandal, Rangareddy district of Telangana. The bus was travelling from Tandur to Hyderabad.
- A tipper truck loaded with gravel/stone chips collided head-on with the bus, causing its load to spill into the front portion of the bus and bury several passengers.
- At least 20 persons have died, including a 10-month-old baby and the drivers of both vehicles.
- Rescue teams had to deploy heavy equipment to clear rubble, extract the trapped and transport the injured to hospitals.
Key Details & Context
- The bus belonged to the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) and was reported to have around 70 passengers onboard.
- Eyewitnesses said passengers in the first six rows behind the driver were severely impacted, many trapped under gravel that had surged into the bus.
- Local authorities have initiated an investigation into factors such as speed, load-management of the truck, bus occupancy and road safety conditions.
Official Response & Relief
- Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and directed officials to provide immediate medical support and relief.
- Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar ordered a full review of TSRTC safety protocols and ensured families of the deceased will receive compensation.
Why It Matters
- The crash highlights the vulnerability of public-transport passengers, particularly when heavy-load commercial vehicles operate on the same highways.
- The spill of gravel into the bus adds a tragic dimension — the truck’s load turned into a deadly factor rather than just collision impact.
- It raises urgent questions about vehicle load safety, highway lane discipline, bus capacity limits and the adequacy of emergency-response mechanisms in remote highway areas.
