PNS | DEHRADUN
Stating that negligence by the Transport department officials appears to be responsible for the deaths of over 36 people in a bus accident in Almora district on Monday, joint transport commissioner Sanat Kumar Singh suspended two assistant regional transport officers (ARTOs) of Ramnagar and Pauri after chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s order. Singh said that the tragic accident occurred at about 8 AM near Marchula in Almora district, when a bus with registration number UK12PA 0061 veered off the road and fell down a deep gorge, leading to heavy casualties.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the accident may have resulted from the officials’ failure to adequately oversee and enforce transport safety regulations, allowing the bus to operate in an overloaded and potentially unsafe condition. He stated in the order that the two suspended officials, transport tax officer and in-charge of ARTO in Ramnagar Neha Jha and the enforcement in-charge of ARTO in Pauri, Kulwant Singh, have been held accountable for their role in failing to maintain safety protocols. Their alleged negligence has been deemed severe enough to warrant immediate suspension, as it potentially contributed to the loss of lives.
The joint commissioner said that during their suspension, Jha and Singh will remain attached to the transport commissioner’s office in Dehradun, pending further investigation. He said that the department is committed to holding guilty officials accountable and preventing future incidents through a thorough examination of safety oversight measures in the area. He said that a four member team of the Transport department’s lead agency has been directed to conduct an onsite inspection along with an expert member. Further action will be taken according to the report submitted by the agency, he said.
