Brake Failure Leads to Multi-Vehicle Pileup on SG Highway in Ahmedabad
A harrowing incident unfolded on Friday afternoon in Ahmedabad when a speeding AMTS bus, allegedly suffering from brake failure, rammed into a school van and three other vehicles at the Gota turning on SG Highway. The collision resulted in injuries to two individuals—an autorickshaw driver and the school van driver—and caused significant damage to multiple vehicles.
Details of the Accident and Viral Footage
The accident occurred around 12:30 PM and was captured on both CCTV and dashcam footage, which later went viral on social media platforms. According to a press note issued by the 'A' Traffic police station, the bus, driven by 55-year-old Ramesh Makwana, was heading from SG Highway towards Gota Crossroads when it went out of control near the Kabir Ceramic showroom.
The sequence of events was as follows:
- The bus first collided with a school van.
- It then hit a loading rickshaw.
- Finally, it smashed into an autorickshaw parked on the roadside.
Injuries and Damage Assessment
The autorickshaw driver, 33-year-old Mahesh Chippa, who filed the complaint, sustained head and chest injuries after his vehicle overturned due to the impact. The van driver also suffered injuries to the head and hands. Police reported that the autorickshaw suffered damage worth approximately Rs 25,000, while the van and loading vehicle sustained major structural damage.
Fortunately, no schoolchildren were reported to be inside the van at the time of the accident. However, the visuals of the bus crashing into the vehicle caused widespread alarm, especially among parents, as the footage showed the bus ploughing through vehicles in quick succession, highlighting the severity of the impact.
Legal Actions and Official Response
Traffic police have registered an FIR under sections for rash driving, causing grievous hurt, and causing damage under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with charges under the Motor Vehicles Act for rash and negligent driving. The accused driver was detained for questioning.
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) authorities stated that a notice would be issued to the private operator of the chartered AMTS bus, and a penalty of Rs 50,000 would be imposed for overspeeding. "The driver was removed from service with immediate effect," an AMC official statement confirmed.
This incident underscores the critical importance of vehicle maintenance and adherence to traffic regulations to prevent such dangerous occurrences on busy urban roads like SG Highway in Ahmedabad.
