BEST bus kills man sleeping on footpath, deaths up 3-fold | Mumbai News – Times of India
A 30-year-old man was crushed to death late on Tuesday night when a BEST bus coming out of Mahim bus depot ran over him. The driver has been arrested but the deceased is yet to be identified. Deaths caused by BEST buses increased 163% from 2022-23 to 2023-24, prompting former BEST committee members to demand a curb on the speed of buses.
Tuesday’s incident occurred at 11.30pm when the driver of the wet lease bus was on his last trip.While taking a turn outside the depot on Mori Road, Mahim, he ran over the man who was sleeping on the footpath. Passersby took the man to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. Bus driver Yashwant Nagre (56) was booked under the IPC for causing death due to negligence, and rash driving, and under sections of the Motor Vehicles Act. Two days earlier, two people were injured when a BEST bus jumped a divider in Ghatkopar.
“Our red buses should not become like Delhi’s blueline buses, which earned notoriety and a ‘killer’ tag and had to be phased out by Delhi govt,” said former BEST panel member Ravi Raja. “Many buses involved in reckless driving are the ones on wet lease and there is an urgent need to discipline their less experienced drivers.”
He suggested that BEST’s ticket checkers keep tabs on reckless driving and report errant drivers to the authorities. “Such drivers should be booked on the spot by BEST squads. Why wait for commuters to complain?” he said.
Another former panel member demanded that the BEST administration arrange a sensitization program on road safety for all bus drivers in Mumbai, whether they drive BEST-owned buses or those on wet lease. “Commuters cannot be put at risk,” he said.
Former BEST panel member Sunil Ganacharya said there was no control over drivers appointed by wet lease operators. “In fact, some of them are BEST bus drivers and also drive school buses and autos,” he pointed out. “These drivers do not belong to BEST but are hired by private contractors who run buses on wet lease. But since they ply buses with the BEST logo, there has to be accountability.”
A senior BEST official said he has taken cognizance of recent fatal mishaps and has sent notices to private contractors. “We have zero tolerance for fatal crashes, and it is not just about penalizing contractors, but ensuring that such incidents don’t occur again,” he said.
According to a transport analyst, there have also been cases of buses driving in the extreme right lane meant for cars and stopping in the middle of the road instead of on the edge of bus stops. “Such practices too cause accidents,” he said.
Tuesday’s incident occurred at 11.30pm when the driver of the wet lease bus was on his last trip.While taking a turn outside the depot on Mori Road, Mahim, he ran over the man who was sleeping on the footpath. Passersby took the man to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead. Bus driver Yashwant Nagre (56) was booked under the IPC for causing death due to negligence, and rash driving, and under sections of the Motor Vehicles Act. Two days earlier, two people were injured when a BEST bus jumped a divider in Ghatkopar.
“Our red buses should not become like Delhi’s blueline buses, which earned notoriety and a ‘killer’ tag and had to be phased out by Delhi govt,” said former BEST panel member Ravi Raja. “Many buses involved in reckless driving are the ones on wet lease and there is an urgent need to discipline their less experienced drivers.”
He suggested that BEST’s ticket checkers keep tabs on reckless driving and report errant drivers to the authorities. “Such drivers should be booked on the spot by BEST squads. Why wait for commuters to complain?” he said.
Another former panel member demanded that the BEST administration arrange a sensitization program on road safety for all bus drivers in Mumbai, whether they drive BEST-owned buses or those on wet lease. “Commuters cannot be put at risk,” he said.
Former BEST panel member Sunil Ganacharya said there was no control over drivers appointed by wet lease operators. “In fact, some of them are BEST bus drivers and also drive school buses and autos,” he pointed out. “These drivers do not belong to BEST but are hired by private contractors who run buses on wet lease. But since they ply buses with the BEST logo, there has to be accountability.”
A senior BEST official said he has taken cognizance of recent fatal mishaps and has sent notices to private contractors. “We have zero tolerance for fatal crashes, and it is not just about penalizing contractors, but ensuring that such incidents don’t occur again,” he said.
According to a transport analyst, there have also been cases of buses driving in the extreme right lane meant for cars and stopping in the middle of the road instead of on the edge of bus stops. “Such practices too cause accidents,” he said.
