Hyderabad: Chaos ensued on the Vijayawada Expressway in Hayathnagar on Wednesday as people hurriedly sought safety when a TSRTC bus headed towards Vanasthalipuram experienced a brake failure. A potential disaster was avoided, thanks to the bus's slow speed and the driver steering away the bus from vehicular traffic to prevent any untoward incident.
Despite the driver's quick response, three people, including a woman, sustained minor bruises, and 10 vehicles were slightly damaged. The incident unfolded early on Wednesday near the ION Digital Centre in Hayathnagar.
At the wheel was Driver N. Narsing, who, upon realising a malfunction, maneuvered the bus to the right side of the road to protect an elderly woman crossing the street, police said.
With the brakes failing, the driver sounded the horn and shouted at commuters to clear the area. Unfortunately, before motorists and pedestrians fully grasped the severity of the situation, the bus collided with two autorickshaws, six bikes, and two cars.
The initial impact involved the bus scraping an auto parked along the Vijayawada highway, where driver P. Ramulu was enjoying tea at a nearby stall. Shouting 'brakes fail aianai,' Ramulu recounted the incident, stating, "I hardly got time to respond. By the time I wanted to move away, my auto was hit."
M. Laxmamma and her brother Narsingh, occupants of another auto, suffered minor scratches, according to the police. Three bikers sustained minor bruises, confirmed P. Suresh, the Hayathnagar police sub-inspector. Additionally, two cars in front of the TSRTC bus were damaged, but the occupants remained unharmed, said Suresh.
Following the incident, the bus driver fled, fearing potential public anger. A crowd gathered at the spot, prompting the driver to surrender to the police.
Upon surrendering, he admitted to law enforcement that he had no alternative due to the brake failure. The police subsequently arrested the driver and filed charges of rash and negligent driving, with ongoing efforts to determine the veracity of the brake failure claim, the Hayathnagar sub-inspector said.
