Miraculous Escape as One of Two RTC Buses Plunges Into Valley Near Srisailam

KURNOOL:  An APSRTC bus belonging to the Markapur depot veered off the road and plunged into a valley on the Srisailam ghat road on Tuesday, causing panic among passengers.

The driver of the bus going from Srisailam towards Dornala attempted to give way to oncoming vehicles on the narrow stretch of the ghat road. In the process, the vehicle moved off the carriageway, slipped and crashed through the roadside retaining wall, shattering the iron retaining barricade. The 30-odd passengers aboard the bus started screaming, expecting the worst.

However, in a stroke of luck, several large trees in the valley came in the way of the bus and acted as a barrier, preventing it from plunging deeper, thereby averting a major tragedy.

The driver of an Indra bus following the APSRTC vehicle could not control his speeding bus in time. The bus rammed into the roadside iron safety railings and came to a halt. About 12 passengers had been travelling in the second bus.

Passengers of both the buses escaped without serious injuries.

On receiving information, police personnel from Srisailam rushed to the accident spot and took up rescue operations. With the help of locals, they safely shifted all passengers of the first bus from the valley onto the road.

APSRTC authorities promptly arranged an alternative bus to transport the stranded passengers to their respective destinations. The incidents caused temporary disruption of traffic along the ghat road.

Srisailam police have registered a case and are investigating.