Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday ordered an investigation into a vehicle accident on the Samruddhi Expressway that killed 12 people, news agency PTI reported. The state government would compensate the relatives of each deceased person with Rs five lakh, according to Shinde. According to authorities, a speeding minibus collided with a container truck in the early hours of Sunday in the Vaijapur region of the Samruddhi Motorway in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, killing at least 12 people and wounding 23 others. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi both expressed their condolences for the deaths in the disaster.
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a post on X that the next of kin of each deceased person will get Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF), and injured people would receive Rs 50,000.
Chief Minister Shinde described the incident as tragic and stated in a post on X that he has given directions to investigate the cause of the deadly accident at Vaijapur. He further stated that orders had been issued to take stern punishment against individuals proven to be involved. The state government would cover the costs of the affected people's treatment, according to the CM.
In a post on X, State Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the injured were admitted to Ghati Civil Hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city, while some were being treated at the Vaijapur hospital.
According to an official, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has launched an investigation into the tragedy. Ambadas Danve, the leader of the opposition in the state legislative council, alleged the mini-bus crashed with the truck after an RTO team halted the truck.
According to the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, vehicles should be scrutinised by the RTO after crossing the interchange toll and before entering the motorway. The minibus crashed with the vehicle after an RTO team stopped it on the motorway, Danve said in a post on X, calling the disaster "manmade".
"The Samruddhi Expressway has become a business road. Police and RTO should stop vehicles on this expressway for a valid reason, which is not happening here. They should have checked the mini-bus which was overloaded,” he told reporters.
”Vehicles should not be stopped on the expressway, otherwise what is the purpose of this expressway? Stopping vehicles in such a way is like inviting death on this expressway. Action should be taken against RTO officials who purposely stop vehicles on this expressway,” Danve was quoted by PTI in its report.
Sanjay Raut, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, said that the safety of travellers on the Samruddhi Motorway was disregarded.
"Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis only want to claim credit, they should also take the responsibility of deaths due to accidents on the expressway,” he said.
”Why shouldn’t the government be booked for culpable homicide?” the Rajya Sabha member asked and demanded that the minister concerned be expelled.
Nana Patole, president of the Maharashtra Congress, described the disaster as tragic. He expressed worry about the frequency of accidents on the Samruddhi Expressway. Vijay Kothari, the acting Regional Transport Officer in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, told PTI that he was made aware of Danve's accusation.