VIJAYAWADA: After the APSRTC blamed a 'panicky' driver and brake failure for Friday's accident at Budameru Bridge here that killed three, a detailed inspection conducted by the brake inspector of the Road Transport Department on Saturday revealed negligence on the part of depot staff in the maintenance of buses may have caused the tragedy. The driver of the ill-fated bus, B Nageswara Rao, reportedly told officials that the rear brakes of the vehicle failed and he had no option other than to ram into the vehicles before him to stop the bus from falling into the Budameru Canal on its left.
As part of APSRTC's routine, drivers write down problems regarding their buses in a log book after completing their duties so that mechanics can correct the issues. Rao said he had complained twice about air in the brake pipes leaking. “I have been driving the bus for the past ten days. I reported the problem twice, but repairs were made just one day before the accident.
Even that was not done properly,” said the driver who has been removed from duties. But APSRTC officials claim Rao panicked and failed to apply air brake or hand brake to control the speed of the bus. “Even if the pipeline of the rear brake cracks, the front braking system functions normally though the effectiveness of overall braking is reduced,” said A Koteswara Rao, executive director (E&IT), APSRTC. He added that all the problems were fixed a day before the mishap. Brake inspector M Haranadha Reddy said the mechanic and staff should have ensured that the vehicle was in a condition to ferry passengers.
fACT SHEET
877 Total number of accidents reported from January 2017 till date across the state
343 accidents occurred on National Highways and 224 on major Panchayat Roads
115 Total number of accidents reported from January 2017 to till date in Krishna district
People killed in accidents: 290
People injured in accidents: 300