Series of deadly bus accidents raise alarm in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

A spate of fatal bus accidents across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over the past six months has raised fresh concerns about road safety, following the latest tragedy in Markapuram that claimed 14 lives and left 22 others injured.

The incident is the most recent in a series of major accidents involving buses in the two Telugu-speaking states, highlighting recurring risks linked to high-speed travel, vehicle conditions and road infrastructure.

One of the deadliest incidents occurred in October 2025 near Kurnool, where 19 passengers were burnt alive after a private bus caught fire. Investigations revealed that the vehicle had run over a fallen motorcycle, dragging it for a considerable distance before fuel leakage triggered a blaze that engulfed the bus. While several passengers managed to escape by breaking windows, many were trapped inside.

In early November, another major accident in Telangana’s Rangareddy district resulted in 19 deaths when a gravel-laden tipper truck collided head-on with a state-run bus. The impact was severe, with passengers in the front rows crushed under debris as the truck pierced into the vehicle.

The same period also saw multiple other accidents, including a bus overturning in Eluru district, leaving one person dead and several injured, and another collision in Sri Sathya Sai district where a private bus rammed into a truck, resulting in casualties.

In January 2026, a bus fire in Nandyal district killed three people after a tyre burst caused the vehicle to lose control and collide with a container lorry. The crash led to both vehicles catching fire, although most passengers managed to escape.

The frequency of such incidents has prompted concern from authorities. N. Chandrababu Naidu has previously called for third-party audits of road accidents to identify underlying causes, including vehicle defects, driver negligence and shortcomings in road design.

Official data indicates that thousands of lives were lost in road accidents across Andhra Pradesh last year, with over-speeding cited as the leading cause in a majority of cases. A significant proportion of accidents also involve two-wheelers and self-collisions.

Experts note that a large share of accidents occur on highways, where higher speeds and heavy traffic increase the risk of severe crashes.

The recurring nature of these incidents has intensified calls for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, improved vehicle safety standards and better road engineering, as authorities seek to prevent further loss of life.

With IANS inputs