A vehicle carrying Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims overturned in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on Sunday (May 21), killing one and injuring 14, news agency PTI reported citing police. According to officials, the vehicle was on its way to Jammu from Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the shrine atop the Trikuta hills. The accident occurred on the outskirts of Katra, near Murree.
According to ANI, which posted a video from the scene of the accident on Twitter, the injured people have been transported to the hospital, and police officers are on the scene.
More details are awaited.
Earlier in April, around 27 passengers were injured when a minibus carrying them overturned in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district. According to police, the bus was on its way from Ramnagar to Surni when the accident occurred. Locals also rushed to the scene to assist the injured passengers.
In March, at least four people were killed and 28 were injured when the bus in which they were travelling overturned in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The incident occurred when the driver lost control of the vehicle on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway in the Barsoo area, according to officials.
According to studies, bus accidents in hilly areas such as Jammu and Kashmir and north India can be attributed to a variety of factors, including steep inclines, narrow roads, sharp turns, and unpredictable weather conditions. Such terrain can be difficult to navigate, especially for inexperienced drivers.
Another reason is poor road conditions; many roads in hilly areas may be poorly built, poorly maintained, or lack critical safety features. Potholes, inadequate signage, inadequate lighting, and a lack of guardrails all increase the risk of an accident.
Another major reason is overcrowding and overloading; buses in these areas are frequently overcrowded, exceeding their capacity. This not only affects the vehicle's stability and manoeuvrability, but it also reduces the chances of survival in the event of an accident. Overcrowding can also cause passenger imbalance, which can contribute to accidents.