Dehradun (Uttarakhand) — A Himachal Roadways bus met with a major accident on Tuesday after it plunged into a deep gorge on the remote Kwanu–Meenus Road in the Kalsi area of Uttarakhand’s Dehradun district, officials from the State Disaster Response Force said.
Preliminary information indicated that more than 30 passengers were travelling in the bus at the time of the accident. The exact cause of the mishap is yet to be ascertained.
Following the incident, State Disaster Response Force teams from Dakpathar, Chakrata, Mori, and Tyuni were rushed to the site on the directions of SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi. Rescue operations were initiated immediately in the difficult terrain.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke to the Dehradun District Magistrate and issued instructions to ensure swift rescue and medical assistance for the injured passengers. All nearby hospitals and medical centres have been placed on high alert.
In a post on X, the Chief Minister described the incident as extremely distressing and said arrangements had been made to airlift seriously injured passengers to advanced medical facilities, if required. He added that the district administration and police were actively engaged in relief and rescue work and prayed for the safety and well-being of all those on board.
Further details regarding casualties and injuries are awaited as rescue operations continue.
In a separate road accident reported on Sunday, devotees returning from the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple met with an accident when their van overturned on the Tiruchy–Chidambaram National Highway in Tamil Nadu’s Ariyalur district. The incident occurred near Poiyyur village. Police rushed to the spot, registered a case, and initiated an investigation.