40 injured as sleeper bus overturns on Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Alwar
Synopsis
A sleeper bus carrying pilgrims to the Braj Chaurasi Parikrama overturned on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Alwar at 7 am on 23 May, injuring all 40 passengers on board. Six are in critical condition. Police suspect the driver fell asleep — a recurring hazard on India's high-speed expressway corridors during peak pilgrimage season.
Key Takeaways
A sleeper coach bus overturned on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Chainage 139.6 in Alwar, Rajasthan on 23 May at around 7 am .
All 40 passengers on board were injured; at least six sustained critical injuries and were referred to Alwar for advanced care.
The bus was travelling from Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh to Govardhan, Uttar Pradesh , carrying pilgrims for the Braj Chaurasi Parikrama .
Police suspect the driver fell asleep at the wheel; the bus was reportedly travelling in the wrong lane before overturning.
Rescue was led by Rajasthan Police and NHAI teams; injured were taken to Pinan Hospital .
Around 40 passengers were injured after a sleeper coach bus overturned on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Alwar district, Rajasthan, on Saturday, 23 May, while travelling from Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, to Govardhan, Uttar Pradesh, officials confirmed. The bus fell into a deep roadside ditch near Chainage 139.6 on the expressway, triggering panic and chaos as injured passengers cried for help.
How the Accident Unfolded
The crash occurred at approximately 7 am in the jurisdiction of the Reni Police Station area. According to officials, the sleeper bus was reportedly travelling in the wrong lane when it lost control and overturned. Preliminary investigation by police suggests the driver may have briefly dozed off at the wheel, causing the vehicle to go out of control — though investigations into the exact circumstances remain ongoing.
Who Was on Board
All 40 passengers on board sustained injuries of varying severity. Many were pilgrims travelling to Govardhan in Mathura to attend religious programmes linked to the Braj Chaurasi Parikrama pilgrimage, held during the auspicious Adhik Maas period. Passengers included devotees bound for Bhagwat Katha events. One passenger, Lalita Goyal, a resident of Gangapur City, said she had boarded the bus at Sawai Madhopur after first travelling there from her home, and was headed to Govardhan to attend the Bhagwat Katha programme.
Rescue and Medical Response
Teams from the Rajasthan Police reached the spot immediately after receiving information about the incident, launching rescue and relief operations under the supervision of Reni Police Station SHO Banesingh Meena. Ambulances deployed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) were used to shift all injured passengers to Pinan Hospital for treatment. According to doctors at the facility, at least six passengers sustained critical injuries and were subsequently referred to Alwar for advanced medical care. Officials cautioned that the number of critically injured passengers referred onward could rise subject to further medical assessment.
Clearance Operations
An NHAI team also reached the site and assisted in rescue and road-clearance efforts. After all passengers were shifted to hospital, the overturned bus was removed from the ditch and restored upright using a JCB machine. This incident comes amid heightened traffic on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway as pilgrimage season draws large volumes of inter-state bus movement, raising fresh questions about driver fatigue and lane discipline on high-speed corridors.
Point of View
Designed for high-speed travel, demands stricter enforcement of mandatory rest stops for long-haul bus operators, yet regulatory oversight remains patchy. That a bus carrying pilgrims was allegedly in the wrong lane at 7 am points to a failure of both driver discipline and pre-departure checks. With pilgrimage season driving a surge in inter-state bus movement, this accident is unlikely to be the last unless transport authorities enforce fatigue-management rules with the same urgency applied to road construction.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Alwar on 23 May?
A sleeper coach bus overturned near Chainage 139.6 on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Alwar district, Rajasthan, on 23 May at around 7 am, injuring all 40 passengers on board. The bus fell into a deep roadside ditch; six passengers sustained critical injuries.
Why did the bus overturn on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway?
Preliminary police investigation suggests the driver may have briefly fallen asleep at the wheel, causing the bus to lose control. The bus was also reportedly travelling in the wrong lane at the time of the accident, though the full investigation is still underway.
Who were the passengers on the overturned bus?
The passengers were largely pilgrims travelling from Sheopur in Madhya Pradesh to Govardhan in Uttar Pradesh to attend religious events, including Bhagwat Katha programmes, as part of the Braj Chaurasi Parikrama pilgrimage held during Adhik Maas.
Where were the injured passengers taken for treatment?
All injured passengers were shifted to Pinan Hospital using NHAI ambulances. At least six critically injured passengers were subsequently referred to Alwar for advanced medical care, with officials noting the number could rise based on further assessment.
Which agencies responded to the Alwar bus accident?
Rajasthan Police teams reached the spot immediately under the supervision of Reni Police Station SHO Banesingh Meena, and NHAI teams assisted in rescue and road-clearance operations. The overturned bus was later removed from the ditch using a JCB machine.
