At least 26 people have been killed when a bus carrying pilgrims veered off a mountainous road and fell into a deep gorge in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, officials said Monday. The accident occurred late on Sunday evening in the state's Uttarakashi district. "The bus was carrying 30 pilgrims from the central state of Madhya Pradesh to the holy town of Yamunotri in Uttarakhand when it plunged into the 250-metre-deep gorge," a senior police officer said. Also read: Missing youth from Kuakata sea beach found in India Some 26 bodies have been recovered from the accident site so far, according to a local disaster management official. "The bodies are being sent to Dehradun from where they will be sent to Madhya Pradesh. The body of the bus helper has been kept at the local community health centre," district disaster management officer Devendra Patwal told the media. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a compensation of Rs two lakh each to the families of those killed in the bus accident and Rs 50,000 to the injured. "A probe has been ordered into the accident," the police officer said. Also read: 12 killed in India chemical factory fire Road accidents are very common in India, with one taking place every four minutes. These accidents are often blamed on poor roads, rash driving and scant regard for traffic laws. The Indian government's implementation of stricter traffic laws in recent years has failed to rein in accidents, which claim over 100,000 lives every year.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has approved the setting up of the country's first geo park at Lamheta village on the banks of the Narmada river in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh, local MP Rakesh Singh said on Sunday, reports NDTV. He said the GSI has sanctioned ₹ 1.30 crore to prepare a detailed project report of the geological rock formations in five acres in the Lamheta village, located 20 km away from the Jabalpur district headquarter, where the park will come up. The estimated cost of this project is ₹ 35 crore and there is a provision to sanction additional funds if required, as the area around the upcoming geo park will be developed, Mr Singh told reporters. A geopark is a unified area that advances the protection and use of geological heritage in a sustainable way and promotes the economic well-being of the people who live there. "This site is already there in the UNESCO geo-heritage tentative list for the conservation of the natural heritage. Several dinosaur fossils had been found in the Narmada valley, particularly in the Bhedaghat-Lameta Ghat area of Jabalpur," Mr Singh said. In 1828, the first dinosaur fossil was collected from the Lameta Bed by Indian Civil Service (ICS) officer William Sleeman, he said. "It is for the first time in the country that such an initiative is being taken for the conservation of the rock formations of geological significance," Mr Singh added. He also said that a science centre will come up at Bhedaghat, also in the Jabalpur district, known for white marble rock formations and a famous tourist hotspot, at the cost of ₹ 15.20 crore, to be shared by the Centre and the state, Mr Singh said. The science centre would shed light on modern science, including scientific theories of various topics such as food, water and soil, he added. This project will be spread on seven acres of land that has already been transferred by the Jabalpur district administration to the MP Science and Technology Council, Mr Singh said.

A group of 12 women returning home from work in an auto-rickshaw and its driver were killed when the overloaded three-wheeler collided head-on with a passenger bus in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh Tuesday, police said. The accident occurred in Madhya Pradesh's princely city of Gwalior, some 400 kms from state capital Bhopal, this morning. Also read:Pathshala alumnus killed in India road crash "The bus was travelling at high speed and its driver failed to spot the auto-rickshaw coming from the opposite direction, leading to the fatal crash," Gwalior police chief Amit Sanghi told the media. While eight of the 12 women -- all temporary cooks at a local government health centre -- and the auto-rickshaw driver died on the spot, four succumbed to their injuries on the way to a nearby hospital, the police chief said. "Fortunately, passengers travelling in the bus, which was headed to Morena district from Gwalior, escaped unhurt," he added. Also read: 14 killed in highway crash in India; 4 critically injured Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan have all expressed grief at the loss of lives. Modi has also announced compensation for the families of the victims. "PM @narendramodi has approved an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the unfortunate accident in Gwalior, MP," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted later in the day. In his condolence message, President Kovind said, "The news of the death of the passengers, mostly women, in the road accident in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, has deeply saddened me. My heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones." A case has been registered against the bus driver for rash and negligent driving. "He fled from the spot. Efforts are on to nab him," the police chief said. Road accidents are very common in India, with one taking place every four minutes. These accidents are often blamed on poor roads, rash driving and scant regard for traffic laws. Also read:40 die in India bus accident  Indian government's implementation of stricter traffic laws in recent years have failed to rein in accidents, which claimed over 100,000 lives every year.

At least 40 people were killed after a private passenger bus veered off a bridge and plunged into a canal in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, police said.