Key Highlights
- Location: Kuanu-Meenak road, under the jurisdiction of Kalsi Police Station, Dehradun district.
- Casualties: Over 30 passengers were on board. Authorities fear a high number of casualties due to the depth of the gorge.
- Response: Four SDRF teams from Dakpathar, Chakrata, Mori, and Tyuni are currently on-site.
- Status: Local hospitals and health centers in Chakrata are on high alert, with emergency protocols activated.
In a devastating incident early this morning, a Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus veered off the road and plummeted into a deep gorge in the Kalsi area of Uttarakhand’s Dehradun district. The vehicle was navigating the Kuanu, Meenak road, a stretch known for its difficult terrain, when it reportedly lost control and tumbled several hundred feet down the mountain slope.
Initial reports received by the Dehradun City Control Room (CCR) indicate that the bus was packed with passengers, potentially exceeding its registered capacity. Eyewitness accounts suggest the vehicle was destroyed upon impact, making the search for survivors particularly grueling for the first responders.
Rapid Emergency Mobilization
Upon being notified of the disaster, SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi coordinated an immediate large-scale response. Four specialized search and rescue teams were mobilized from strategic locations across the region, including Dakpathar, Chakrata, Mori, and Tyuni. These units have arrived with advanced life support systems and technical rope rescue equipment to reach the wreckage at the bottom of the ravine.
The geography of the Kalsi area, characterized by steep inclines and dense vegetation, has significantly complicated the extraction of victims. Rescue workers are working alongside local villagers, who were the first to arrive at the scene and assist the injured before official teams reached the remote site.
Medical and Administrative Response
The Dehradun district administration has placed the entire regional healthcare network on high alert. Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and larger hospitals in the vicinity of Chakrata have been instructed to clear beds and prepare for an influx of emergency trauma cases.
While official casualty figures have yet to be confirmed, officials remain concerned that the death toll could rise as teams penetrate deeper into the wreckage. The Kuanu,Meenak road has long been a point of concern for local commuters, with residents often citing the narrow passages and lack of safety barriers as primary risks for heavy vehicles like HRTC buses.
Authorities are expected to launch a formal investigation into whether mechanical failure or driver fatigue contributed to the crash, though current priorities remain focused entirely on the recovery of those trapped in the gorge.
