An overcrowded and poorly maintained bus plunged into a deep gorge in northern India’s Uttarakhand state Monday, killing at least 36 people and leaving several others injured, officials reported.
The accident occurred in Almora district when the dilapidated vehicle, carrying approximately 60 passengers despite a capacity of 42, skidded off the road and tumbled down a 60-meter (200-foot) gorge, according to state official Vineet Pal.
“More than 20 people have been injured, with seven in critical condition,” said senior state administrator Deepak Rawat. Rescue teams deployed to the scene fear the death toll could rise further as they continue recovery efforts.
Television footage showed the mangled wreckage of the bus lying overturned near a stream, as emergency responders worked to extract victims and transport bodies on stretchers. Some passengers who either escaped or were ejected during the crash alerted authorities to the accident.
State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reported that rescue teams were rushing to evacuate injured passengers to nearby hospitals, with arrangements being made to airlift those most seriously wounded.
“We have launched a full investigation into the accident,” Pal said. Two transport officials have been suspended for approving the operation of a bus in visibly poor condition.
The incident highlights India’s ongoing struggle with road safety. The country has one of the world’s highest road death rates, with hundreds of thousands killed and injured annually. Experts typically attribute these crashes to reckless driving, poorly maintained roads, aging vehicles, and inadequate enforcement of safety regulations.
This crash follows several other deadly bus accidents in India this year. A July collision between a double-decker bus and milk truck in Uttar Pradesh state killed 18 people. In May, a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in Indian-controlled Kashmir plunged into a gorge, resulting in 21 deaths.
The state government has promised a thorough investigation into the causes of the latest tragedy, which once again raises questions about transportation safety standards in India’s mountainous regions.
