JOWAI/ SHILLONG: Efforts are being made by a joint team of CRPF, BSF and State police to retrieve four more bodies which are trapped inside the mangled chassis of the ill-fated bus which fell into a deep gorge on June 14 night near Sonapur Mandir in East Jaintia Hills.
The team which is engaged in retrieving the bodies pulled out the luggage of the passengers of the bus on Friday only to find it difficult to retrieve the bodies of the remaining four passengers, including a CRPF jawan.
An official source said that to pull out the remaining bodies which are stuck in the chassis of the bus, a crane has to be used to first pull up the remaining portion of the bus.
Though a crane was brought on Friday, the rope was insufficient and hence it was decided to resume the work on Saturday.
Bodies of as many as 25 passengers were recovered earlier while nine passengers, who had a miraculous escape, are undergoing treatment for various injuries.
PWD minister to inspect NH 44
Following criticism from various quarters over the recent tragic bus accident at Sonapur which claimed 29 lives, State PWD Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has decided to carry out spot inspection of NH 44 in July.
“I am concerned over the bus accident. Though NH 44 is not under PWD as it is manned by NHAI, I will carry out the visit to understand the ground reality,” the minister said on Friday.
Admitting that large stretches of the highway was in bad shape, Dhar asked the NHAI to repair the worst portions of the road at the earliest.
“The work for the completion of the road started three months ago and it will take some more time to complete the entire Jowai-Malidor project,” he added.
The NHAI had assigned the 103 km project to GR Infrastructure, which had constructed and completed the Shillong Bypass one year ahead of its deadline.
Dhar said the delay in completion of the road was due to the abandonment of the work by the first company which was entrusted with the work.
The project had to be re-tendered, resulting in the delay, he said.
