Thane, Nov 8 (PTI) The motor accident claims tribunal (MACT) in Maharashtra's Thane district has awarded a compensation of Rs 55 lakh to a woman who sustained severe injuries in a crash involving a state transport bus in 2021.
MACT member R V Mohite, in an order passed on Friday, held the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) solely liable for the accident, in which the claimant sustained injuries that led to the amputation of her right hand and the loss of her job.
The accident occurred on the afternoon of August 24, 2021, when the claimant, Kanchan Sham Kute (then 36), was travelling in a state transport bus from Khed to Shivajinagar on the Nashik-Pune Highway, and the driver dashed the vehicle into an electric pole, causing it to overturn.
The MSRTC argued that the accident occurred due to brake failure, but the tribunal rejected this contention, citing the driver's negligence.
"The speed of the bus was of such a nature that the driver could not control it when its brakes failed," it stated.
The tribunal also noted that while the driver signalled the conductor about the brake failure, "there is no evidence that he gave instructions for safety to the passengers in the bus".
The claimant suffered multiple injuries, including a crush injury to her right hand below the elbow, which was subsequently amputated.
She produced a disability certificate showing 70 per cent permanent disability in relation to her right arm and a termination letter from her employer, confirming her job loss.
The tribunal directed the MSRTC to pay Rs 55 lakh as compensation with 9 per cent annual interest from the date of the petition.
This report includes content sourced from Press Trust of India (PTI), edited for clarity and context.
