Himachal: Close shave for private bus staff in Chamba's Churah
A major tragedy was averted on the Tissa-Bairagarh-Devi Kothi Road in Churah sub-division of Chamba district on Sunday when a private bus skidded off the road and hung precariously over a steep slope near Ghulei.
No one was injured in the incident. The bus, which operates on the Bairagarh-Devi Kothi-Tissa-Sanwal route, was off its regular route and no passengers were on board. According to information, the driver and conductor were cleaning the bus when the incident occurred.
As the conductor was reversing the bus to facilitate washing, it suddenly went off the road and came to a halt with part of it hanging over the hillside. The conductor escaped unhurt.
The sight of the bus suspended precariously above the slope drew a large number of locals to the spot, who rushed to check on the driver and conductor.
On August 8, a bus operated by the same private operator, and travelling from Bairagarh to Chamba, rolled down a hill near Chalunj Mor. Seven persons were killed on the spot, while 11 others suffered injuries. Two of the injured later succumbed to their injuries during treatment, taking the death toll to nine.
The locals have urged the authorities to install crash barriers at vulnerable locations and widen narrow and damaged stretches to prevent further accidents.
Meanwhile, Salooni DSP Ranjan Sharma has appealed to bus operators and drivers to exercise caution and prioritise safety while negotiating the mountainous roads.
