Mumbai: A driver of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus crushed a man sleeping on footpath to death at Mumbai’s Mahim Bus Depot late on Tuesday night. The police have arrested the bus driver, but the deceased is still to be identified.
There has been an increase in the deaths caused by BEST buses. Casualties involving BEST buses increased to 163 per cent from 2022-23 to 2023-24. It compelled the former BEST committee members to demand a curb on the speed of buses.
The incident occurred on Tuesday around 11:30 pm when the driver of the wet lease bus was coming back from his last trip.
He was taking a turn outside the depot on Mori Road, Mahim, when he ran over the man who was sleeping on the footpath. People nearby took the man to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead, a TOI report said. The police have identified the bus driver as Yashwant Nagre, 56, who has been booked under the IPC for the death of the man due to negligence, rash driving and under sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Another incident took place two days ago, where two people were injured by a BEST bus which jumped a divider in Ghatkopar. Ravi Raja, a former BEST panel member, said that the BEST buses should not become like blueline buses of Delhi which received a killer tag and had to be eliminated by Delhi Government. He also added that many buses involved in rash driving are the ones on wet lease and need urgent attention. And such drivers should be booked by BEST squads.
Another former BEST panel member Sunil Ganacharya mentioned that the drivers appointed by the wet lease operators is out of control and these drivers also drive school buses and autos. These drivers are hired by private contractors and not by BEST.
A BEST official said that they have taken cognizance of the matter and has sent notices to private contractors.
