TEHRI GARHWAL: In a tragic road accident in Tehri Garhwal district, a bus carrying pilgrims back from Kunjapuri Temple plunged into a deep gorge near Hindolakhal in the Narendranagar area on Monday afternoon. The mishap claimed the lives of five people and left more than a dozen others injured, some of them critically.
Our correspondent reports that the 31-seater Uttarakhand-registered bus was part of a larger group of pilgrims from Gujarat, Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Karnataka who visited the temple as part of a spiritual retreat. According to initial accounts, the vehicle lost control shortly after the driver started the engine and accelerated, causing it to speed off the edge and fall an estimated 70 metres into the ravine.
The victims include Anita Chauhan (New Delhi), Ashu Tyagi (51) of Saharanpur, Namita Prabodh (58) from Nagpur, Anuja Venkatraman (48) from Bengaluru and Parth Sarthi (70) of Vadodara. Thirteen of the injured were immediately shifted to local hospitals, with four in critical condition transferred to AIIMS Rishikesh for higher-level care.
An injured passenger Tehri bus accident
A senior official of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) said: “The bus had just begun boarding the returning passengers when the vehicle lurched forward. It appears the driver lost control near a bend and the vehicle went over the edge of the road into the gorge.”
Rescue operations were hampered by steep terrain and fading daylight; response teams remained on site for several hours.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep sorrow over the incident and assured full support for the affected families. He directed administrative and disaster-response authorities to expedite medical care and evacuation of the injured.
“My thoughts are with the families of the deceased. I pray for immediate recovery of the injured. I have asked the district administration and SDRF teams to ensure prompt treatment and assist the survivors,” the Chief Minister said.
Local residents said the stretch of road near Hindolakhal is notoriously hazardous, with sharp bends and inadequate guard-rails. One resident who declined to be named said: “The bus simply flew off the bend. There’s no proper crash barrier in place and the drop is steep. We have complained about safety here before.”
Traffic-police sources confirm that the vehicle was travelling downhill on a narrow road built for light vehicles; overloading and speed are being investigated as possible causes.
The district collector and senior police officials convened a meeting at the site immediately after the accident. They said that the driver, registration details, vehicle maintenance logs and permit records have all been seized for further investigation. Charges under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and transportation safety regulations are expected.
Travel-safety experts point out that mountainous roads in Uttarakhand are prone to such accidents, especially when vehicles are burdened with pilgrims returning in the evenings.
“There is a clear need for better signage, guard-rails, vehicle-maintenance audits and driver training on mountain routes,” said a senior traffic analyst.
The Tehri accident adds to a troubling trend in the state. According to the traffic directorate’s data, Uttarakhand recorded 1 ,376 road-accidents between January 1 and October 31 this year, resulting in 833 deaths and 1,185 injuries.
Authorities also announced that the families of the deceased will receive ex-gratia compensation under the state’s relief scheme. Restoration of the road-edge, crash-barriers and signage upgrades have been ordered along the Helang-Urgam stretch and other high-risk routes.
The pilgrimage to Kunjapuri is a popular activity for many devotees from across the country. The temple lies approximately 23 kilometres from Rishikesh and overlooks the Ganga valley. The accident raises concerns about logistics and safety practices for such mass-transport pilgrimage trips.
As the state government investigates the cause and circumstances, it has reaffirmed its commitment to improving road-safety infrastructure, especially in mountainous zones. For now, the focus remains on treatment of the injured, support for the bereaved and restoring public confidence in travel safety.
Tags: Uttarakhand news, Tehri Garhwal, Kunjapuri accident, pilgrimage bus crash, road safety
Focus Keyword: Kunjapuri bus accident
Dheeraj reports on governance, public services, jobs, and regional developments across Uttarakhand. He specialises in recruitment news, public-sector updates, and civic issues that impact everyday citizens. His reporting brings accuracy, context, and a grassroots perspective to local journalism.
