Patiala: A Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) bus carrying over 130 passengers crashed and overturned in Patiala early Thursday morning, leaving at least 20 people injured, several of them with fractured limbs, in what appears to be a case of severe overcrowding and loss of vehicle control.
The mishap occurred when the bus, reportedly designed to seat 52 passengers, veered off the road and slammed into a tree. The impact was so intense that the tree toppled onto the bus, triggering panic and chaos inside.
Chaos and Crowd at the Scene
Eyewitnesses described a horrifying scene as the packed bus flipped with a loud crash, trapping several passengers under debris. Locals quickly rushed to the site and began pulling people out from the damaged vehicle even before emergency services arrived.
“There were screams everywhere. People were bleeding, and some had broken legs. We tried to get as many out as we could,” said a local resident who was among the first to reach the site.
The injured were immediately taken to nearby hospitals in private vehicles and ambulances arranged by bystanders. Most of the injuries involved fractures, particularly to the lower limbs, as passengers were flung inside the overcrowded cabin.
Alarming Passenger Count Raises Questions
An audio recording circulating on social media, reportedly from one of the passengers, claims the bus was carrying well over twice its official capacity, with over 130 individuals crammed into the vehicle. Though PRTC buses typically accommodate 52 seated passengers, this bus was allegedly filled to standing-room-only and beyond, with some individuals said to be sitting in the aisles.
The exact reason for the driver’s loss of control is yet to be determined, though overcrowding and possible mechanical strain are being examined as contributing factors.
Absence of Officials Sparks Public Outcry
Despite the severity of the crash, no senior district or transport officials reportedly arrived at the scene for hours, sparking outrage among locals and families of the injured.
“This is a complete failure of basic safety oversight,” said one resident. “Not only was the bus dangerously overcrowded, but help came late, and no one from the administration has shown up.”
The PRTC management and local authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident or confirm whether action will be taken against those responsible for allowing the bus to operate beyond its licensed capacity.
Call for Probe and Accountability
As public anger mounts, transport unions and civil society groups are calling for an immediate probe into the violation of passenger limits and stricter enforcement of road safety norms across Punjab’s public transport network.
