“That stretch of read was reported to the authorities several times as it is in dire need of repair,” said a policeman from Masomera Police Station. “Motorists have taken to travelling on a dust road that runs parallel to the pot-holed tarred strip road. The strip road was no longer usable as the pot holes were so deep that they resembled a gulley.
The driver of the Sahwaraji mini-bus reportedly wanted to avoid a hump on the make shift gravel road but unfortunately lost control resulting in the bus ploughing into a tree. The woman was trapped in the front seat as the bus caught fire. Other passengers and passersby tried their best to extinguish the fire using sand but their efforts were unsuccessful.”
Maintenance of the rural strip road is the responsibility of the government-funded District Development Fund. The DDF has failed to keep the roads in good shape due to lack of resources.
“If government officials had at least given a listening ear to the private media, the road would have been repaired long ago. We will just have to wait and see how many more lives will be lost before the responsible authorities swing into action,” said a villager who witnessed the accident.
Post published in: News