At least 36 people were killed when a bus skidded off a road in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district. The region is prone to road accidents and has claimed hundreds of lives.
As well as the fatalities, another 19 people were injured when the passenger bus fell into a gorge on Wednesday morning. The accident occurred in Doda's Assar region when a bus carrying nearly 60 people skidded off the road, officials in the region said.
The officials added critically injured people had been airlifted to Jammu city for further treatment.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while expressing grief over the tragic accident, announced 2,400 USD as relief to family members of the deceased.
“The bus accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, is distressing. My condolences to the families who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Rs. 50,000 would be given to the injured,” Modi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Why Does J&K Have One of the Highest Rates of Road Accidents?
According to data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Jammu and Kashmir region recorded 6,092 accidents in 2022 alone. With an average of more than 16 accidents per day, J&K has one of the highest rates of accidents, with the national highway being the most vulnerable in the Himalayan region.
At an average of more than 16 accidents per day, J&K has one of the highest rates of incidents with the national highway being the most vulnerable in the Himalayan region.
The roads and highways cut through several mountain ranges and rivers making the terrain difficult but the negligent driving and overloading passenger vehicles are some of the main factors behind the accidents.
The official data of the federal government further shows that a total of 654 people lost their lives in accidents while a staggering 3,327 were left grievously injured.
Of the total accidents 2,378 took place on highways alone claiming lives of 259 and injuring 2,319.