Nashik: At least nine people were killed and several others injured after the minivan they were travelling in was hit by a tempo, causing it to then crash into a moving bus on the Pune-Nashik highway in Maharashtra on Friday, police said.
The accident took place at around 10 am near Narayangaon town in the Pune district, they said.
The minivan was en route to Narayangaon when it was struck from behind by a tempo, causing it to crash into an empty bus parked at the roadside, said Pankaj Deshmukh, Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural.
All nine occupants of the minivan lost their lives, he added, noting that further details are awaited.
STORY | Nine killed as minivan rams into stationary bus on Pune-Nashik Highway
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Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on faulty road construction
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari emphasised on Thursday that faulty road construction should be treated as a non-bailable offence, holding road contractors and engineers accountable for accidents and ensuring they face punishment.
Speaking at an event organised by the industry body CII, Gadkari noted that India ranks first globally in road accidents.
“Faulty road construction must be made a non-bailable offence, and road contractors, concessionaires, and engineers should be held accountable for accidents and imprisoned,” he stated.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has set a target to reduce road accident fatalities by 50% by 2030.
