KSRTC – TNSTC bus collide at Marthandam; KSRTC bus driver killed

A fatal collision between two buses on Marthandam bridge leaves one driver dead and several injured.

The driver of a Kerala State Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus was killed when the bus collided head-on with a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus on the Marthandam bridge on Saturday afternoon.

 Police said the KSRTC bus, proceeding from Nagercoil to Thiruvananthapuram collided head-on with the TNSTC bus going from Kaliyakkavilai to Nagercoil on the Marthandam bridge on Saturday afternoon. Over 25 passengers travelling in both the buses and both the drivers sustained injuries in the mishap that paralyzed vehicular movement along the busy bridge for a while.

 Police, fire and rescue services personnel and the public rescued the injured and rushed them to various private hospitals and government hospitals. The seriously injured, including KSRTC bus driver K. Aneesh Krishnan, 43, were rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital at Asaripallam near here. However, Aneesh succumbed to his injuries.

 Kanniyakumari District Collector P. N. Sridhar visited the injured at the Government Medical College Hospital and inquired about the treatment being given to them. The Collector also contacted the doctors of other hospitals over the phone to inquire about the condition of the injured.

 “The district administration will ensure the best possible treatment for the accident victims,” Mr. Sridhar assured.

 The public who rescued the injured said the huge potholes on the Marthandam bridge, which were yet to be repaired despite repeated complaints, were causing accidents everyday.

 The police said the driver of the KSRTC bus had apparently tried to overtake a vehicle while crossing the bridge which could have been the cause of the accident.