A major accident was averted late last night at Sujanpur on the Jalandhar–Jammu National Highway (NH-44). Due to heavy rainfall, the railway underpass got flooded with water. This led to a tourist bus being stuck in the stagnant water causing chaos among the travellers. The incident was reported to the concerned authorities and necessary actions were taken to curb the situation.
Series of events
According to information, heavy rainfall in Pathankot led to sudden waterlogging beneath Railway underpass Bridge No. 3 on the national highway. Despite the flooded conditions, the tourist bus, which was travelling from Dehradun to Katra with pilgrims on board, entered the underpass and soon got trapped in the rising water. As the water level continued to increase, panic gripped the passengers, especially families travelling with children. The bus carried 55 passengers, including 13 children. The bus heading to the Hindu shrine was however stuck in the stagnant water. The passengers trapped in the bus, showing presence of mind, immediately contacted the control room and informed about the bus being stuck in the water.
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Information to the police
The police was informed about the event at exactly 1:53 AM. On receiving the information, the Road Safety Force team showed promptness and reached the spot within just 6 minutes, at 1:59 am. Responding without delay, personnel from the Road Safety Force (SSF), Punjab Police, and local volunteers launched a coordinated rescue operation. Sujanpur police station in-charge Arun Sharma also immediately arrived at the scene with the police force. Despite the challenging conditions, the teams carefully evacuated each passenger from the stranded bus and shifted them to a safe location. Their prompt action ensured that all 55 passengers, including the 13 children, were rescued without any injuries.
Reasons of the incident
Station House Officer Arun Sharma said that the bridge often becomes flooded during the rainy season. For this reason, the National Highway Authority (NHA) had made traffic one-way. Unaware of the situation, bus driver Vineet Gupta attempted to drive the bus across the bridge. Not knowing the depth of water under the bridge, the attempt led to the mishap in the darkness. The engine of the bus was flooded with water, and the bus stalled mid-course.
Successful rescue operation
According to the officials, after the safe rescue of the passengers, a Hydra machine was called on the spot and the tourist bus stuck in the water was also pulled out. Ritika, a female devotee, said they had left Dehradun to visit Mata Vaishno Devi, but the bus suddenly became stuck in water on the way. Recalling the terrifying moments, she said the passengers were frightened as the water surrounded the bus and continued to rise. She said that the police and SSF personnel acted as angels, saving their lives and taking them to safety. she added that their courage and quick response prevented what could have turned into a major disaster.
