Kota Road Carnage: Minibus Collision on Delhi-Mumbai Expressway Claims 8 Lives, Sparks Investigation

Kota, India— A minibus carrying 16 passengers crashed on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Kota on October 20, killing eight people and injuring eight others after the vehicle veered off the carriageway and overturned.

The minibus was heading from Sawai Madhopur to Kota. It was on the newly opened stretch of the expressway, a six-lane corridor designed for high-speed traffic. Around 11 a.m., near the Dara toll plaza, the driver lost control. The vehicle hit the median, flipped twice, and landed in a ditch. Its roof caved in.

Local police said speed was a factor. The road was dry. Visibility was clear. Tire marks suggest the driver tried to brake hard before impact. "The bus was overcrowded and moving at very high speed," said a highway patrol officer at the scene. "It appears the driver fell asleep or tried to avoid something. We are checking."

Eight passengers were declared dead at the scene. Their bodies were trapped under twisted metal. It took rescue teams more than an hour to cut them out with gas cutters. The eight injured were taken to Kota Medical College Hospital. Three are in critical condition with head and chest trauma. Doctors said two needed emergency surgery.

Families of the victims arrived by afternoon. Most of the passengers were daily wage workers and small traders returning from a market trip. The driver is among the dead. The minibus belonged to a private operator with no permit for expressway service, according to transport officials. Its fitness certificate had expired in August.

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has seen a string of fatal accidents since its partial opening. The 1,386-kilometer highway allows speeds up to 120 kmph. But entry of smaller vehicles, poor lane discipline, and lack of rest stops have raised safety concerns. Truck drivers say minibuses often use the expressway to cut time, despite being banned on some sections.

National Highways Authority officials inspected the crash site. They said rumble strips and warning signs are in place. Police said they will review CCTV footage from the toll plaza to determine exact speed. A case of rash and negligent driving has been registered. The transport department said it will crack down on private minibuses using the expressway illegally.

Traffic on the expressway was halted for nearly three hours. A crane was used to lift the mangled minibus from the ditch. The wreck was taken to a police yard in Kota. Personal belongings - sandals, water bottles, bags of vegetables - were scattered across the roadside.

The injured remain under observation. Police said post-mortem examinations are underway and bodies will be handed to families tonight. No official statement has been made about compensation.