A horrific bus accident occurred on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, claiming the lives of five pilgrims and injuring several others. The pilgrims were travelling to Pandharpur for the Ashadhi Ekadashi celebrations.
The accident took place near Panvel in Navi Mumbai when the bus, carrying around 54 pilgrims from Dombivli, collided with a tractor. The bus fell into a ditch following the collision, resulting in fatalities and injuries.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the injured pilgrims at the MGM Hospital in Kamothe on Tuesday afternoon. He announced an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh for the families of the deceased and assured that the state government would bear the medical expenses of all the injured pilgrims.