Bus Crew Had Helped All Passengers Escape in Recent Garladinne Mishap
Alert drivers stop bus near Garladinne before flames engulf vehicle; belongings lost
Anantapur: A week ago on National Highway 44, over which several mishaps have been reported, alert crew of a tourist bus, including its drivers, helped all passengers get down before the vehicle got completely burnt near Garladinne in Anantapur district.
The bus had been travelling with 23 passengers from Bengaluru to Raichur in Karnataka. “Noticing the fire at Garladinne, the driver and second driver immediately stopped the bus and forced all passengers to get down. However, the belongings of all 23 passengers got reduced to ashes,” a senior official transport recalled.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar recalled that 20 of the passengers in the Garladinne mishap had been students of medicine. Shivakumar demanded a detailed probe into why mishaps involving vehicles are recurrent on the NH 44.
Transport officials say before leaving for their destination, the crew of buses should verify the condition of their tyres and brakes, among others. “Drivers of the buses must be alert and drive responsibly until they reach their destinations,” a top official remarked.
