Bus collides with parked truck on Mumbai-Pune Expressway; 6 seriously injured

Mumbai: A private bus en route from Pune to Mumbai, carrying 38 passengers, was involved in an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway after colliding with a stationary truck. Police have confirmed that six passengers suffered serious injuries, while 18 others received treatment for minor injuries.
The accident occurred around 4am near a newly constructed tunnel at the 39.3-kilometre mark of the expressway in Khopoli. Preliminary investigations by the Khopoli police indicate that the cause of the accident was a truck, registered as KA 56 5675, which had stopped on the third lane due to a technical issue. The truck was driven by Bimreddy Musane, a 31-year-old resident of Bidar, Karnataka, who had halted the vehicle to address a problem with the braking system.
The private bus, registered as MH 03 DV 2412 and driven by Balaji Suryanvanshi, 41, was travelling in the same lane when it collided with the parked truck. “The truck driver, upon realising a drop in air pressure in the braking system, had stopped in the third lane to refill it. At that moment, the private bus approached, and its driver lost control, leading to a rear-end collision,” said Khopoli senior police inspector Shital Raut.
The injured passengers were admitted to MGM Hospital in Kamothe, Panvel. “Some passengers have sustained leg fractures and are receiving treatment at the hospital, though fortunately, there were no fatalities. The truck driver has been issued a notice in accordance with the Supreme Court directive. Traffic was briefly congested but resumed normal flow by 8am. Both damaged vehicles were cleared from the road with the assistance of a hydraulic crane,” added the police officer.
The injured include the bus driver, a woman, a man, and three children.