Andhra govt announces Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for kin of deceased in bus accident: State Minister Ramprasad Reddy

ALLURI SITARAMARAJU(Andhra Pradesh): The Andhra Pradesh government has announced ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased in the Alluri Sitaramaraju bus accident, in which nine people lost their lives, State Minister M Ramprasad Reddy said on Friday.

Nine people were killed after a bus overturned on the ghat road between Chinturu and Bhadrachalam in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitaramaraju (ASR) district, said ASR District Collector Dinesh Kumar.

M Ramprasad Reddy met the injured in the accident in the Alluri Sitaramaraju district.

“Around 3.30 am, nine people lost their lives in the accident. Five people are injured. The government is ensuring that the injured receive proper treatment. We have announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased from the state government, and the Prime Minister has also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF to the families of the victims,” State Minister Reddy said.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the bus accident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased, and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, Tribal welfare minister Gummadi Sandhya Rani said that about 37 people were travelling in the bus, out of which nine died on the spot, while 28 were injured. She said that the injured people are “safe” now.

Rani told the reporters, “Today in Alluri Sitaramaraju District near Chinturu, a bus accident took place, which is very unfortunate. These types of incidents are saddening. 37 people were travelling in the private bus, in which 35 were passengers and two drivers. Early in the morning, around 3 am, the senior driver fell asleep and asked the junior driver to take over. A problem occurred. The bus stepped onto a stone, and it fell into reverse.

Around nine people died on the spot, and others were rescued and taken to the hospital. 28 people are getting treated in the hospital. Four people did not get any injuries and are safe, and others were injured. All the 28 people are safe now.”

“We, on behalf of the government, are making all the arrangements for the patients to go to the hospitals of their choice. Almost all the people are from Chittoor and its surroundings. We are ready to take them to any hospitals in Chittoor, Rajamundry or anywhere else. They are getting treated here,” she added.

A woman who was injured in the accident praised the treatment and expressed gratitude towards the government.

She said, “They saved me, and the treatment in the hospital is also good. They are taking good care of everyone. The treatment was well provided.

They gave us tiffin and milk to everyone on time. They are not neglecting us. I don’t remember the time when it happened; I was asleep. When it fell, I went into a mental shock all of a sudden. I didn’t know what was happening; I had no thought at all.” (ANI)