Was the ‘free bus’ scheme the reason for the Chevella bus accident..? Most people say yes. The RTC bus involved in the accident had a seating capacity of 52, but there were more than 75 passengers on board. The main reason the bus was overcrowded was because of the ‘free bus travel’ scheme introduced by the Revanth Reddy government. To reduce the financial burden on the state caused by the scheme, the government reportedly cut down on several Express services. As a result, the available buses were few, forcing more people to cram into each one. This overcrowding, analysts say, made it difficult for the driver to control the bus, leading to the fatal collision with an oncoming tipper lorry.
Twenty-five people died in the accident. Among the dead were women and children, while several others remain in critical condition. The tragedy has sparked a debate over whether travel in RTC buses is safe anymore. People are demanding accountability and some are calling for Transport Minister Ponnam to resign, taking moral responsibility for the accident.
● But who will answer for the lives lost..?
No one. There will be noise and outrage for two or three days then everything will go back to normal. Yes, you are right the accident happened because there were far more people than the bus could carry and the driver couldn’t control it.
The Chief Minister, ministers and MLAs travel in brand new vehicles and luxury SUVs, while the common people who voted them to power are forced to travel in overcrowded buses, risking their lives. No one questions this, no one demands answers. Those in power only care about their own gain no one treats the people’s lives as their own. So why should we vote for such leaders? The pain of those who died can only be understood by their families. Think of that father who lost his three daughters in a single incident how unbearable must that be? In another recent accident, four members of the same family, including two small children, were burnt alive when the bus caught fire. Imagine what kind of hell they must have suffered in those moments.
If this is the kind of system we live in, how much longer can we endure it..?