Sidhi bus accident: Chouhan says guilty will be punished

A day after suspending fourofficials in the wake of the Sidhi bus accident, MadhyaPradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday saidthose responsible for the tragedy, which claimed 51 lives,will be punished.

Chouhan on Wednesday night suspended the RegionalTransport Officer (RTO) of Sidhi district and three officialsof the MP Road Development Corporation (MPRDC).

''Those who have committed wrong will be punished, hetold a high-level meeting here on his return after comfortingthe bereaved families in Sidhi.

The tragedy took place on Tuesday morning near Patnavillage, 80km from the Sidhi district headquarters, when aSatna-bound private bus packed with passengers skidded off theroad and fell into a canal.

Chouhan said the road (which the ill-fated bus did nottake due to its poor condition and frequent traffic jams)should be repaired at the earliest.

The CM said an alternate road should be readied at theearliest to ease traffic on the route.

A drive should be undertaken to check fitnesscertificates of buses and stop them from carrying morepassengers than the mandated capacity, he said.

Chouhan instructed officials to start a survey toidentify accident-prone pathways and focus on improving roadswhich are in bad condition and those passing throughdifficult terrain.

Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains, Director Generalof Police Vivek Johri, Water Resources Departments AdditionalChief Secretary SN Mishra and Public Works DepartmentsPrincipal Secretary Neeraj Mandloi, among others, attended themeeting.