Thane van crash: Cement mixer driver held; RTO warns against unauthorised travel

THANE: Police have arrested the driver of a cement mixer truck involved in the collision with an overcrowded van that claimed 11 lives in Maharashtra's Thane district, officials on Tuesday said and appealed to the public not to travel in unauthorised vehicles.

The van, which provides shuttle taxi services to locals, was heading to Murbad from Kalyan when it collided head-on with the transit mixer coming from the opposite direction on the newly constructed bridge over the Ulhas river on Monday morning.

All 11 occupants of the van, including the driver and three women, were killed, the officials said.

Kamlesh Yadav (26), a resident of Mumbai who was driving the cement mixer, has been arrested. A case has been registered against him under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Murbad) Anil Lad said.

Ten bodies have been handed over to relatives, while the family of another victim is expected to arrive from Madhya Pradesh, he said.

The van, which has an authorised capacity of six, was carrying 11 passengers, as per officials.

According to locals, the van taxi services operate illegally in the area, charging between Rs 70 and Rs 100 per seat for one-way trips and often carrying double the permitted number of passengers.

Deputy Regional Transport Officer, Kalyan, Ashutosh Barkul, appealed to commuters to avoid travelling in unauthorised vehicles and opt for safer public transport options, especially with the upcoming vacation season expected to increase road traffic.

The Kalyan Sub-Regional Transport Office (RTO) has taken action against 1,896 vehicles involved in illegal transportation over the past year and collected fines of Rs 25.67 lakh, he told reporters on Monday evening.

"Special teams and flying squads have been conducting regular inspections and taking action against vehicles involved in illegal transport. Errant drivers are fined on the spot and their vehicles are seized," Barkul said.

Surprise checks are carried out not only on main roads but also on bypass routes, where such illegal activities are often reported, he said.

School buses are also being regularly inspected to ensure student safety, and strict action is taken against management if violations are found, he added.