14 injured, 1 critical as WBTC bus overturns after tyre burst at Topsia
Times of India | 14 January 2026
Kolkata: A govt-run West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) bus overturned at Topsia crossing on Tuesday morning after its front-left tyre burst, injuring at least 14 passengers and severely disrupting peak-hour traffic for more than 1 hour, police said.
The accident took place around 8.15 am on Topsia Road South near the Park Circus connector, a key junction that channels office-hour traffic towards Science City and the IT corridor.
The bus, operating on the Howrah-to-Kamalgazi route, hit the roadside railing and toppled onto its side, leaving the vehicle severely damaged and scattering parts, including its left frontal mechanical components, across the carriageway around 8.15 am.
Police said 16 people were rescued from the bus after breaking the window glass. Fourteen sustained injuries and six had to be admitted to hospital.
The bus conductor, Sanjib Ghosh (40), was reported to be in a serious condition after being trapped near the gate. He was rescued and taken for treatment, police said.
Among those injured were passengers Md Raja (50) of Topsia, Bimal Poddar (45) of Entally, Rajanya Dey (20) of Howrah and a 34-year-old male passenger from Purba Burdwan, according to information shared by officials.
The driver, Rap Des (37), of South 24 Parganas, was also injured. Several of the injured were taken to Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMC), where they were admitted to different wards, officials said.
Local residents began pulling passengers out of the overturned bus before police and emergency personnel arrived, witnesses said. Officers from Topsia PS and East Traffic Guard took charge of the scene and coordinated the rescue and traffic diversions.
The accident triggered heavy congestion at the Topsia crossing and along the Park Circus connector, with spillover delays reported on the Maa flyover, slowing down flyover traffic. Traffic police diverted vehicles away from the intersection as the damaged bus blocked lanes during the morning rush.
"Since it was a major accident, we had to divert traffic. The pressure was thus also felt on Maa flyover, where traffic slowed down, affecting movement towards the IT sector," a traffic official said. Public transport services, including buses and app-based shuttle minibuses heading to Sector V and New Town, were among the worst affected, the official added.
A crane reached the spot around 8.45 am and lifted the overturned bus to clear the roadway. The road was reopened to traffic around 9 am, but it took about another 20 minutes for traffic to return to near-normal flow, police said.
Police said preliminary checks indicated the bus was operating without a valid fitness certificate. Sources familiar with the inquiry said the last fitness certification was obtained several years ago and had since expired.