MACT awards ₹64.37 lakh to family of man killed in MSRTC bus accident

In a judgment delivered on August 13, MACT member SR Agrawal held that the accident was caused by the rash and negligent driving of the MSRTC bus driver and rejected the corporation’s claim that the deceased was solely responsible.

Pune: The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), Pune, has awarded ₹64.37 lakh with 7% annual interest to the widow and two minor children of a 37-year-old man who died after his motorcycle was hit by an MSRTC bus on the Satara-Pune road in May 2024.

Gurugram, India-October 25, 2024: After the accident damaged Honda CRV car and bike parked in Sushant Lok police station; A 32-year-old man died after he was hit and dragged along with his motorcycle by a Honda CRV car near Sector 42 rapid metro station on Golf Course Road, in Gurugram, India, on Friday, 25 October 2024. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)(Pic to go with Debashish Karmakar's story)

In a judgment delivered on August 13, MACT member SR Agrawal held that the accident was caused by the rash and negligent driving of the MSRTC bus driver and rejected the corporation’s claim that the deceased was solely responsible.

The tribunal directed the MSRTC’s Pune divisional controller to deposit ₹64,37,820, with interest from the date of filing of the claim petition until realisation.

Wasim Nayim Shaikh, a service manager with Hridaan Motors LLP in Pimpri-Chinchwad, was riding his motorcycle near Vishal Pure Veg Hotel at Kelwade village in Bhor taluka on May 16, 2024, when an MSRTC bus allegedly hit him from behind. He suffered multiple injuries, including a head injury, and later died. His family had sought ₹85 lakh in compensation.

MSRTC denied negligence and claimed Shaikh had attempted to overtake the bus from the wrong side at speed before losing control. The tribunal, however, found that the corporation had failed to substantiate the defence. It noted that there was no independent eyewitness supporting the bus driver’s version and that police had filed a chargesheet against him.

The tribunal relied on the FIR, spot panchanama and other police records, along with witness evidence, to conclude that the accident resulted from negligent driving by the bus driver.

The tribunal accepted Shaikh’s April 2024 salary for compensation. The award also includes ₹18,150 towards loss of estate, ₹18,150 towards funeral expenses and ₹1,45,200 towards consortium for the widow and two children, calculated at ₹48,400 each.

The widow will receive 40% of the compensation, while each child will receive 30%.