Bus Crash In India Kills 24

Passenger Bus Plunges 650 Feet Into Gorge In Country's Mountainous North

(AP)  An Indian news agency says a passenger bus has plunged into a gorge in the mountainous northern parts of the country, killing at least 24 people.

The Press Trust of India quoted Rajendra Mohan Sharma, superintendent of police, as saying the accident happened near the popular skiing resort of Kufri, nearly 200 miles north of New Delhi.

The bus plunged 650 feet into the gorge, Sharma said Tuesday.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known.

[jaishalvanam]

India doesn''t have roads with a few potholes, it has potholes with a few bits of road in between - India simply has some of the worst roads in the world. Even if the driver was being very careful, and treading down slowly, he could still have ended up in the gorge. All too often in India, the people blame the drivers. The fact is though, bad roads are the real cause of so many accidents. Especially when they''re so small and inadequate that slow moving tractors force everyone else to overtake them. I myself have seen how a very careful and attentive driver can slip off the road into a gorge. Let me tell you, if there is a 15 foot gaping wide pothole on the road, it is dangerous for even the good drivers.

India has COMPLETELY neglected its road system that that mostly dates from the times of the British. Even the new "golden quadrangle" is mostly just a bunch of small and old roads renamed as part of the GQ. And as for the wild claims that it is all highspeed road like a US interstate, those are complete nonsense. Only portions around major areas are freeways, and the area b/w some close urban areas.

[avigil2]

We''re talking about India folks. There are no standard rules or guidelines to follow. Have you seen the trains there? People are piled up on top of each other and hanging out the doors and windows. It''s crazy!

[sunderan]

Why would anybody, especially bus or truck drivers drive recklessly on mountain roads? This is not the first of its kind. Many of the bus drivers think that they are real good drivers, and cling to the edge of the road, not realizing that many lives are dependant on them, and their driving skills. Many drivers want to get there fast so that they can earn more money, by driving more than one trip a day. I only hope this driver did not sleep at the wheel or had a few drinks before starting out. In the future, the Govt. or bus company should check the drivers for alertness and their food consumption before every trip that they make.

[sepa2]

The cause of the accident was not immediately known.
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Tha cause is bribe taking by police, officials and politicians and let substanded busses on the road and police allowing the busses to race against each other for passengers.