Almora bus accident: Death toll rises to 36, Rs 4 lakh aid announced

At least 36 passengers lost their lives and 19 were injured when a bus plunged into a deep gorge in Uttarakhand’s Almora district on November 4.

The bus, carrying over 40 passengers, was traveling from Nainidanda in Pauri district to Ramnagar in Nainital when it veered off course in the Salt area near Marchula.

Authorities promptly responded to the scene, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police mobilized for rescue operations. Almora’s Superintendent of Police, Devendra Pincha, indicated that the death toll could increase as rescue efforts continue. Early reports suggest that overloading may have contributed to the accident.

The accident was first reported to authorities around 9 a.m. by some passengers who had been ejected from the bus during the fall. The scale of the incident has drawn national attention, prompting both the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand to announce immediate aid for the victims.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and announced ex-gratia payments of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami followed with additional assistance, pledging Rs 4 lakh for the families of those who died and Rs 1 lakh for the injured. Dhami also directed a magisterial inquiry into the accident and ordered the suspension of the area’s Assistant Regional Transport Officer (Enforcement) to assess any administrative lapses.