It could have been the bus driver’s fault who reportedly wanted to overtake a truck, or the vehicle’s axles giving away. Some people even say that one of the front tyres burst, leading it to lose control and plunge into the Narmada canal.But there is no doubt that the Bodeli-Waghbod-Bodeli GJ-18V 3697 Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) was a rickety one like many others in the tribal region. Although the GSRTC authorities insist that the condition of the bus was fine, it was definitely not part of a new fleet of buses that they have pressed into service. Manoj Joshi, state secretary of SRT Karmchari Union, who rushed to the site, said it was barely a fortnight ago that several unions had made a unified representation to the GSRTC management pointing out the need for better maintenance. “This bus had already clocked around 11 lakh km. A driver is always blamed. But rickety buses are usually pressed into service in rural and tribal areas, while the good ones are seen on express highways,” Joshi said.According to Joshi, there are around 450 SRT buses in Vadodara district of which 30 per cent are in rundown conditions, but still in service in interior areas. “The luxury coaches, the CNG buses that cater to the rich and middle class can be found in the city and expressways, while there is no such facility for poor and tribals,” he said. Vishnu Baria, cousin of Renuka Baria, one of the victims, said: “Nobody was bothered about our demands for better buses, more frequency and better services for interior areas. And now our children are dead.” Even as an SRT official admitted, on condition of anonymity, that the axle of the bus was broken, Bodeli depot manager S P Matroja and GSRTC general manager M B Patel said the bus was in running condition. “It was in running condition and had the fitness certificate. Prima facie there appears to be no problem with the bus,” said Patel.Meanwhile, Principal Secretary S K Dash, ministers Amit Patel and Nitin Patel, who visited the spot, remained tightlipped on the issue.
