Palghar, Aug 12 The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in Palghar has directed the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to pay Rs 30.77 lakh in compensation to the family of a 28-year-old man who died in a road accident nearly five years ago.
In an order delivered on July 24, 2026, a copy of which was made available recently, the tribunal held the driver of an MSRTC bus solely responsible for the fatal accident.
Vinayak Janu Palvi died in September 2021 after an MSRTC bus collided with the motorcycle he was riding on the Vikramgad-Wada road. The tribunal noted that the father of three was the sole breadwinner, earning Rs 12,220 a month as a machine operator.
MSRTC contested the claim, alleging that Palvi drove rashly, was not wearing a helmet, lacked a valid license, lost control on a turn, and contributed to 90 per cent of the accident. However, Presiding Officer A R Rahane (District Judge-1) disagreed.
The tribunal said that a black helmet found at the scene disproved the claim that the deceased was riding without the protective headgear. Long tyre skid marks and bloodstains showed the MSRTC bus had crossed over to the wrong side of the road.
The tribunal calculated the total award figure of Rs 30.77 lakh after evaluating factors like the victim’s age, his monthly salary and the number of dependent family members (six). It directed MSRTC to deposit the full amount with 6 per cent simple interest per annum from the date of claim filing.
