Kolkata Bus Overturns After Tyre Burst, Injures 14 and Snarls Traffic
A government-run West Bengal Transport Corporation bus overturned at Topsia crossing on Tuesday morning. The accident happened after the front-left tyre of the bus burst suddenly. At least fourteen passengers sustained injuries in this incident. Peak-hour traffic faced severe disruption for more than one hour due to the overturned vehicle blocking the road.
Accident Details and Rescue Operation
The accident occurred around 8:15 am on Topsia Road South. This location is near the Park Circus connector, a key junction that channels office-hour traffic towards Science City and the IT corridor. The bus was operating on the Howrah-to-Kamalgazi route when the tyre burst caused it to hit the roadside railing. The vehicle toppled onto its side, suffering severe damage.
Mechanical components from the left frontal area scattered across the carriageway. Police said sixteen people required rescue from the bus after responders broke the window glass. Fourteen of those rescued sustained injuries. Six injured individuals needed hospital admission. The bus conductor, Sanjib Ghosh, aged 40, was reported to be in serious condition. He was trapped near the gate before rescue.
Injured Passengers and Driver
Officials shared information about some of the injured passengers. Md Raja, 50, from Topsia was among them. Bimal Poddar, 45, from Entally also sustained injuries. Rajanya Dey, 20, from Howrah was injured in the accident. A 34-year-old male passenger from Purba Burdwan was also hurt. The driver, Rap Des, 37, from South 24 Parganas, received injuries as well.
Several injured persons were taken to Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital. Medical staff admitted them to different wards for treatment. Local residents began pulling passengers out of the overturned bus before police and emergency personnel arrived at the scene. Witnesses confirmed this immediate community response.
Traffic Chaos and Diversions
The accident triggered heavy congestion at Topsia crossing and along the Park Circus connector. Spillover delays were reported on the Maa flyover, slowing down flyover traffic significantly. Traffic police had to divert vehicles away from the intersection because the damaged bus blocked lanes during the morning rush hour.
A traffic official explained the situation. "Since it was a major accident, we had to divert traffic. The pressure was thus also felt on Maa flyover, where traffic slowed down, affecting movement towards the IT sector," the official said. Public transport services faced severe disruption. Buses and app-based shuttle minibuses heading to Sector V and New Town were among the worst affected.
Road Clearance and Investigation
Officers from Topsia Police Station and East Traffic Guard took charge of the scene. They coordinated the rescue efforts and managed traffic diversions. A crane reached the spot around 8:45 am and lifted the overturned bus to clear the roadway. The road reopened to traffic around 9 am.
However, it took about another twenty minutes for traffic to return to near-normal flow. Police conducted preliminary checks on the bus. These checks indicated the bus was operating without a valid fitness certificate. Sources familiar with the inquiry revealed the last fitness certification was obtained several years ago and had since expired.
