Calcutta, March 12: At least 20 people were injured when two buses collided at the Rashbehari Avenue-Sarat Bose Road crossing near Deshapriya Park today evening.

A state bus (E1) on the Howrah-Jadavpur route had just taken the free right turn at the crossing to head towards Southern Avenue around 7pm, when a private bus (K7) on the Bakultala-Howrah route headed towards Rashbehari rammed into it, an officer of Tollygunge traffic guard said.

A traffic inspector, who has in the past served in the South East traffic guard that oversees the crossing near Deshapriya Park, said a free right turn at the crossing near Deshapriya Park was allowed while vehicles from Gariahat moved towards Rashbehari to reduce the waiting time.

"But for every 15 vehicles headed towards Rashbehari, we allow only one to take a right turn towards Rabindra Sarobar from the Deshapriya Park crossing."

The condition of one of the injured, Shankar Prasad Banerjee, 70, is said to be critical. He was taken to Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan, along with the other injured, but doctors referred him to another hospital as he had head injuries. The others were discharged after first aid.

If a separate time is fixed for vehicles wanting to take a right turn, it will create a long queue of vehicles on the Rashbehari-bound flank, the traffic inspector said.

A traffic officer at Lalbazar said an inquiry was on to find out what the traffic cops posted at the crossing were doing at the time of the accident.