A privately-operated bus rammed into one of the iron pillars of the Howrah bridge on Friday afternoon, injuring at least 10 passengers onboard.
Initial speculation pointed to a brake failure as the cause of the accident. However, passengers alleged that the uncontrolled bus hit the bridge pillar due to reckless driving. Responding to the calls, the police arrived promptly. The injured were rushed to Howrah Hospital in critical condition. The ill-fated bus, operating on route 12/A from Metiabruz to Howrah, collided with the pillar on the bridge. The driver of the bus was also among the injured.
Eyewitnesses said the accident led to traffic congestion on the bridge. Police managed to remove the bus using a breakdown van, restoring normal traffic flow thereafter. Mohammad Habib, one of the passengers, from the hospital bed said, “I boarded the bus at Khidirpur and was sitting in the front. Suddenly, the bus hit one of the pillars of Howrah Bridge. I fell down. After that, I don’t know what happened. I just saw my hand turning red with blood.” Another passenger, Chaya Adhikary, also sitting on the front row, said she can’t move her legs. She’s scared, realizing she may have broken her leg. She had boarded the bus at Garden Reach.