City bus overturns into Marshland near Sholinganallur; Six injured

Six persons, including the driver, were injured after a Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus overturned into a marshland near Sholinganallur on Tuesday afternoon while attempting to give way to an oncoming lorry.The MTC bus, operating on Route No. 99 from Adyar to West Tambaram, was carrying around 20 passengers. The bus was driven by Samidas, while Ramachandran was on duty as the conductor.The accident occurred on the Semmozhi Poonga Road connecting Sholinganallur and Medavakkam via Perumbakkam, where Metro Rail construction and culvert works have reduced traffic to a single lane.According to police, the driver steered the bus to the left to make way for an approaching lorry but lost control, causing the vehicle to overturn into the adjoining marshland. Panic-stricken passengers raised an alarm as the bus toppled.Local residents, motorists, personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services Department and police rushed to the spot and safely rescued all the passengers, the driver and the conductor. Driver Samidas sustained injuries and was admitted to the Government Hospital, Chromepet. Five others, including two women, who suffered minor injuries, were admitted to a nearby private hospital for treatment.
The remaining passengers escaped unhurt. The accident caused heavy traffic congestion on both sides of the road, with vehicles queued for nearly two kilometres. Senior police officers visited the spot and conducted an inquiry into the incident.