Chandigarh, July 11: Fifteen passengers escaped unhurt on Saturday after a running electric bus suffered a critical mechanical failure, losing both of its tyres simultaneously in the middle of a Chandigarh thoroughfare. The incident unfolded as the transit vehicle traveled along the Sector 46 and 47 dividing road during its transit from Ramdarbar to Maloya.
“Everything happened within a matter of seconds after the loud bang,” asserted a passenger who was on board. “We felt the vehicle drop on one side, but the driver remained incredibly composed and brought the bus to a complete halt right on the tarmac without veering off.”
Emergency teams and transport supervisors arrived at the scene shortly after the breakdown to assist the stranded commuters and clear the right-of-way. The vehicle was later towed to the local depot for a detailed forensic engineering assessment.
The breakdown has once again brought the mechanical reliability of Chandigarh’s eco-friendly mass transit options into public focus. Similar technical discrepancies and sudden operational failures have been recorded previously, raising questions about the current upkeep routines.
“A formal inquiry has been instituted to determine how both tyres could detach from a moving asset,” maintained a senior transit official. “Initial findings point toward a potential component fatigue, and rectifying measures are being instituted across the entire fleet immediately.”
