A Weekend Trek Turns Fatal: Two Mumbai Professionals Die as Bus Plunges into Pabe Ghat

A routine excursion to Rajgad Fort ended in tragedy early Sunday morning when a private tourist bus lost control and plummeted 50 feet into a gorge.

The quiet darkness of the Pabe Ghat in Pune district was shattered around 2 am on Sunday when a private tourist bus, carrying employees from an Andheri-based firm, veered off the road. The group had set out from Mumbai, hoping to reach the historic Rajgad Fort for a planned trek. Instead, the journey came to a violent halt on a sharp bend in the ghat section, where the vehicle crashed through roadside safety barriers and tumbled 50 feet into the valley below.

Local authorities have confirmed the deaths of two passengers: 25-year-old Vishwas Baburao Satim from Vile Parle and 23-year-old Dhwani Chandresh Thakkar from Kandivali. The impact of the fall left 18 other passengers with injuries ranging from minor bruises to serious head trauma. Rescue teams were scrambled to the site in the immediate aftermath, and the injured were rushed to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment.

Police Investigation and Accountability

The Velhe police have moved quickly to establish a case against the bus driver, 47-year-old Sandeep Tukaram Gaikwad, who is also a resident of Andheri East. Following a formal complaint lodged by passenger Girish Ravindra Jangam, an FIR has been registered. The charges include rash and negligent driving, and causing death by negligence.

Preliminary findings by the police suggest the driver failed to manage the vehicle on the treacherous curves of the ghat. While the investigation is ongoing to determine if mechanical failure played a role, current reports point toward human error and a lack of caution regarding the hazardous road conditions as the primary factors leading to the accident.

Why It Matters: A Pattern of Negligence

This incident underscores a recurring, grim reality on Maharashtra’s mountain roads. As weekend tourism surges, the combination of inexperienced drivers, poorly maintained private vehicles, and the inherently dangerous topography of the Sahyadri ranges creates a volatile mix. Often, the drive to maximize commercial trips leads to exhausted drivers navigating winding, poorly lit passes at odd hours—a recipe for disaster.

While the administrative response typically focuses on post-accident investigations and FIRs, the broader issue of road safety in hilly terrain remains unaddressed. Without stricter enforcement of speed limits and mandatory rest breaks for drivers on these specific routes, commuters—whether they are office colleagues or families—remain at the mercy of unpredictable road conditions. It is a stark reminder that the thrill of a weekend trek cannot come at the expense of basic transit safety.