13 die as bus plunges into 200-ft gorge off Mumbai-Pune Hwy

On their way back to Mumbai, some passengers alighted at Khopoli, following which the bus travelled to Borghat on the old highway. Tanaji S Chikhale, SP, Highway Police, said that the stretch between Khopoli and Borghat was banned for heavy vehicles five years ago

Pune: Thirteen people died and 29 were injured when a private bus they were travelling in on the old Mumbai-Pune highway fell into a 200-feet gorge in Borghat, in Raigad district on Saturday morning. Among the deceased are three minors and the driver of the bus, 35-year-old Mahesh Ramchandra Pujari. Five of the injured are critical and being treated at various hospitals in Navi Mumbai.

Raigad, India - April 15 2023: Around 12 people killed and 25 injured after a bus fell into a gorge on the Old Pune-Mumbai Highway in Borghat near Shingroba Mandir, in Maharashtra's Raigad district, India, on Saturday, April 15 2023. (HT PHOTO) (Hindustan Times)

Most of the passengers were members of the Goregaon-based Bajiprabhu Dhol Tasha Pathak, who had travelled to Pune to participate in the Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations in Pimple Gurav, Pimpri-Chinchwad, near Pune, on Friday.

On their way back to Mumbai, some passengers alighted at Khopoli, following which the bus travelled to Borghat on the old highway. Tanaji S Chikhale, SP, Highway Police, said that the stretch between Khopoli and Borghat was banned for heavy vehicles five years ago. “There are signboards put up at various intervals warning drivers about the treacherous road. Despite that, the driver ignored the instructions and eventually lost control of the bus,” said Chikhale.

The bus veered off the road and plunged into the gorge, near Shingroba temple, in Borghat, at around 4:30am, said police officials from Raigad’s Khopoli division. Somnath Gharge, SP Raigad district, said, “The driver may have dozed off at the wheel, which possibly led to the accident.”

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “An inquiry has been ordered to find out the reason behind the accident.” A technical test of the vehicle will be done by officials of the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) to ascertain the exact reason of the accident.

An FIR has been registered against the bus driver at Khopoli police station under sections 304 a (causing death by negligence), 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others).