The Incident: Amarnath Yatra Pilgrims Jumping for Their Lives

In yet another heart-stopping incident showcasing the sheer brilliance of our transport authorities, a bus carrying 40 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims turned into an action-packed scene straight out of a Bollywood thriller when its brakes decided to take an untimely break. This isn't the first time our beloved transport authorities have showcased their unparalleled ability to approve outdated, rickety buses. Let's take a closer look at this chaotic comedy of errors.

On the picturesque yet treacherous National Highway 44 in the Ramban district, a bus full of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims experienced a terrifying ordeal when its brakes failed. The bus, seemingly approved by the ever-diligent transport authority, was heading from Amarnath to Hoshiyarpur. As the brakes gave way, passengers found themselves in a desperate situation, resorting to jumping off the moving bus to save their lives.

A video of this heart-wrenching spectacle has gone viral, showing the pilgrims leaping from the bus while it continued its uncontrolled descent. Fortunately, the quick intervention of the Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police prevented a major disaster. Army personnel and police officers managed to place big stones under the bus tires, bringing it to a halt and providing medical assistance to the injured.

A Pattern of Negligence: Transport Authorities on a Roll

This incident isn't an isolated one. The transport authority's track record reads like a series of misadventures. Just this past May, a similar incident occurred when a bus plunged into a gorge in Jammu's Akhnoor. That tragic accident claimed 22 lives and injured 50 others. The bus, which was carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, slipped off the Jammu-Poonch highway near the Reasi district.

Year after year, we see the transport authorities green-lighting these decrepit buses, handing out permits like candy on Halloween. It's almost as if there's an unspoken competition to see how many unfit vehicles can be pushed onto the roads. The bribes from the transport giants keep flowing, and the authorities keep smiling, oblivious to the lives at stake.

Past Incidents: A Grim Reminder

• 2019: A bus carrying school children in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district fell into a gorge, killing 23 people. The bus was found to be unfit for travel, yet it had a valid permit.
• 2018: In Uttarakhand, a bus carrying pilgrims to Kedarnath plunged into a river, killing 27 people. The investigation revealed that the bus had failed multiple safety checks.
• 2017: In Rajasthan, a bus carrying passengers from Jaipur to Udaipur caught fire due to faulty wiring. 15 people lost their lives. The bus had been cleared for travel just a week prior.

The Root Cause: Corruption and Negligence

The real issue lies in the corruption and negligence entrenched in the system. Transport authorities, enticed by bribes, overlook the glaring deficiencies in these buses. Safety checks are either superficial or completely bypassed. The lives of innocent passengers are gambled away for the sake of financial gain.