PATHANAMTHITTA: As many as 30 people, including Ayyappa devotees and others, were injured when two KSRTC buses collided near the Chakkupalam curve on the Pampa-Nilakkal route on Tuesday. Traffic along the busy pilgrim corridor remained disrupted for over an hour in the afternoon following the accident.
Fire and rescue services personnel reached the spot immediately, removed the damaged buses, and shifted the injured to hospitals, including Kottayam Medical College. A 10-year-old girl, Mangalam, sustained serious head injuries. Drivers of both buses suffered major injuries.
According to fire and rescue service officials, the crash occurred near the Pampa Forest Station.
Preliminary reports confirmed that around 30 passengers were injured. Most of the lightly injured persons were admitted to hospitals at Nilakkal and Pampa Government Hospitals.
Ten passengers were referred to Kottayam Medical College. Among them, those who suffered serious injuries were identified as Mangalam, 10, Ramachandran, 52, Sathyan, 72, Krishnadevan, 52, and Vivek, 31. One side of one of the buses was completely damaged in the impact. The collision involved the Chengannur-Pampa KSRTC fast passenger bus and a Nilakkal-bound service.
There were 48 passengers, including devotees, in one bus and 45 in the other. As it was peak afternoon, a number of KSRTC employees travelling after duty change were also inside the buses.
A preliminary investigation has been launched to ascertain whether the accident was triggered by driver negligence, mechanical failure or the sharp curvature of the road at the accident site, a senior fire official said.
On Sunday too, a similar collision involving chain-service buses on the Nilakkal-Pampa route was reported. Two KSRTC buses operating the shuttle services rammed into each other, leaving the driver injured. He was admitted to hospital, and medical sources said his injuries are not serious. None of the passengers were hurt in that incident.