Pune: The PMPML has been directed by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) to pay within two months Rs85.4 lakh compensation to the husband and two daughters of a senior lab technician killed in an accident on Aug 21, 2023.The accident had occurred at the Navratna hotel square on Katraj-Swargate Road. The PMPML bus had jumped a red signal and hit the victim’s scooter. Identified as Swapnali Sagar Waghule (38), the victim was returning home to Bibwewadi from a prominent Erandwane hospital where she worked. She had started her two-wheeler after the signal turned green.Advocate Atul Gunjal, who represented the PMPML, toldTOIon Monday: “We will file an appeal in the Bombay high court against the ruling. The accident occurred in the bus rapid transport (BRT) lane. The scooter rider was negligent to enter it and contributed to the accident.”Presiding member of the MACT BD Kulkarni dismissed the PMPML claim on April 18 that Waghule had contributed to the accident. “The spot is in the middle of the square and there is no BRT lane there. It ends at the edge of the square on either side of the roads,” the tribunal said, citing police papers — including the spot panchanama and map.“The map showed the road from Swargate to Katraj contained the BRT lane. There is a square. A witness, Baluram, said the scooter rider was proceeding towards Bibwewadi from Aranyeshwar. The vehicles were on different roads that met at the square, making the bus driver’s negligence the more probable cause. The bus was proceeding on the south-north road and the scooter rider on the east-west. Why would the scooter rider enter the BRT lane, instead of proceeding straight?” the tribunal said and held that the accident occurred due to thesole negligence of the bus driver.The tribunal accepted evidence showing that the deceased worked as asenior lab technician at a hospital, with an annual income of Rs5.6 lakh. After applying deductions, multiplier methods and adding future prospects, the tribunal computed compensation and also granted consortium and conventional heads. The 7% interest component worked out to nearly Rs13.5 lakh effective from the date of presentation of the claim petition and will continue to grow till the actual payment. The tribunal directed PMPML to deposit the amount within two months. Shares of the minor daughters were ordered to be kept in fixed deposits until they attained majority.
