Probe begins into Mahanadi bridge bus mishap

CUTTACK: Two days after a private bus fell off Mahanadi bridge near Jagatpur killing 10 persons, a committee headed by Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) Rashmi Ranjit Dalabehera on Thursday began probe to ascertain the reason behind the mishap.

The 10-member probe team visited the accident site and conducted spot investigation. Technical officials of Tata Motors, who were part of team, thoroughly inspected the mangled remains of the bus lying on the river bed to ascertain if there was any mechanical failure.

“There was no malfunction in the electronic controlling unit and speed governor of the bus. There was no evidence of any mechanical failure,” said survey engineer of Tata Motors.

Road Safety Officer Prasant Kumar Rout, who was also a member of the team, said the bridge, which has become weak, is unsafe for plying of heavy vehicles. Apart from the high speed of the bus, weak guard walls of the bridge and presence of the buffalo in absence of light led to the accident, he said.

“We are preparing the report which will be submitted to the State Government,” said MVI Dalabehera.
NHAI Manager (Technical) Deba Prasad Sahu, Tata Motors technical head Parameswar Reddy, works manger Rashmi Ranjan Parida and Jagatpur IIC BN Pati were also part of the probe team.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *