The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Maharashtra’s Thane district has awarded a compensation of ₹20.82 lakh to the family of a 24-year-old man who lost his life in a tragic road accident involving a state transport bus in 2020.
Delivering the judgment on August 25, MACT member R.V. Mohite directed the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to pay the compensation amount to the deceased’s family along with an interest of 9% per annum from the date of filing the petition until full realisation of the amount. The order copy was made available on Saturday.
The deceased, Dattatray Gangaram Wakale, was riding pillion on a motorcycle driven by his friend on the Nagar-Kalyan Highway on October 18, 2020. An MSRTC bus, reportedly being driven at high speed and in a reckless manner, collided head-on with the two-wheeler. The impact of the crash was severe, causing fatal injuries to both the rider and the pillion. Wakale succumbed to his injuries on the spot.

Following the incident, the police registered a case against the bus driver under Section 304(A) of the Indian Penal Code (causing death by negligence) along with relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
The tribunal held that the accident was caused solely due to the negligent and rash driving of the MSRTC bus driver. It further ruled that there was no contributory negligence on the part of the victim.
The award of ₹20.82 lakh with interest is expected to provide some financial relief to Wakale’s bereaved family, who had approached the tribunal seeking justice and compensation for their irreparable loss.