Kalyan: At least 11 people were killed after a passenger taxi collided head-on with a concrete cement mixer truck on the Kalyan-Murbad stretch of National Highway 61 on Monday morning.The accident occurred around 10.45am on the partially opened Rayta bridge near Kalyan. The police said the victims were travelling in a six-seater Eco Meter Taxi which is also locally called a black-and-yellow (kali-peeli) taxi that ferries passengers between Kalyan and Murbad. Investigations have also revealed that the taxi was overcrowded. As per Regional Transport Office (RTO) norms, the vehicle was permitted to carry only six persons, including the driver, but was carrying 11 passengers at the time of the accident.According to preliminary investigations, the collision was head-on and the impact was so severe that the taxi was completely mangled and all passengers were trapped inside the vehicle. Local residents rushed to the spot after hearing the loud crash and helped pull out the victims from the wreckage before the police arrived.Police officials said nine of the deceased have been identified so far, while efforts are underway to ascertain the identities of the remaining two. The deceased include three women. In a tragic detail, three siblings — two sisters and their younger brother — were among those killed. They were returning to their native village in Murbad after their summer vacation.Police suspect overspeeding and negligence on part of both drivers led to the crash. “Prima facie, it appears both drivers were at fault as the vehicles collided head-on,” said Anil Lad, deputy superintendent of police, Murbad division.The taxi driver, who also died in the accident, was identified as Prashant Rupesh Chendne (21). The truck driver fled the scene and a search has been launched for him. A case has been registered against both drivers.Locals alleged that the accident was exacerbated by ongoing construction work on the bridge. Only two lanes of the newly constructed bridge were opened to traffic recently and work on the remaining stretch is still incomplete. Residents claimed that vehicles often speed on the open lanes, increasing the risk of accidents.The deceased were residents of Murbad, Kalyan and Diva. Among those identified are taxi driver Prashant Chendne (21), and passengers Jijabai Kembari (60), Bhushan Ghorpade (45), Neha Mohpe (16), Mansi Mohpe (20), Prathamesh Mohpe (15), Deepak Gavli (26) and Ananta Pawar (60).Senior officials, including assistant superintendent of police Anmol Mittal, visited the accident site to oversee rescue and investigation efforts. Local MLA Kishan Kathore also reached the spot and spoke to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who expressed his condolences and assured financial assistance to the victims’ families.The incident has triggered outrage among locals, who have demanded a high-level probe into the accident, stricter enforcement against overloading by taxis, and accountability for allowing traffic on a partially completed bridge.Kalyan deputy RTO Ashutosh Barkul said, “In the past one year, we have taken action against 1,896 permit vehicles in Kalyan division area who has violated several norms including over seating.”
