BEST curtails several Mumbai bus routes after Kurla accident that killed 6, injured 43

According to BEST sources, driver Sanjay More, approximately 45 years old, allegedly lost control of the bus, leading to the accident

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) curtailed several bus routes on Tuesday morning following a devastating accident in Kurla West on Monday night that claimed six lives and left 43 people injured. BEST officials said the decision was taken to prevent potential damage to buses from members of the public who might be angered by the incident.

The transport authority has suspended all bus services to Kurla railway station. (PTI)

According to BEST sources, driver Sanjay More, approximately 45 years old, allegedly lost control of the bus, leading to the accident.

The transport authority has suspended all bus services to Kurla railway station. Officials announced that seven bus routes will now originate from Kurla Depot instead of Kurla railway station, while three routes from Santacruz station to Kurla station have been shortened to operate via Tilak Nagar.

BEST officials confirmed that bus routes 37, 320, 319, 325, 330, 365 and 446 have been terminated at Kurla Depot rather than continuing to the railway station. Routes 311, 313 and 318, which typically connect Santacruz railway station to Kurla railway station via Mumbai University, Kalina and Vakola, have been diverted via Tilak Nagar as a ring route back to Santacruz. Route 310, which connects Bandra station to Kurla station via BKC, has also been diverted.

The incident occurred around 9:45 pm on Monday when an air-conditioned single-decker e-bus manufactured by Olectra (MH-01-EM-8228) met with a serious accident on SG Barve Marg. The bus operates under a wet lease agreement with Olectra, and More is employed through an agency that provides drivers. Sources indicated there were no reports of the driver being intoxicated at work.

"The bus was proceeding to Sakinaka from Kurla Railway Station West at approximately 21:45 hours. According to initial information, the bus driver lost control, the speed accelerated, and the accident occurred, damaging approximately 20-25 vehicles including auto-rickshaws, two-wheelers, an Eco Van, police jeep, and taxis along the way," said Sudas Sawant, BEST Undertaking spokesperson.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed that six people died in the incident, while 48 injured individuals are receiving treatment at various hospitals. BEST officials reported that victims were initially taken to Kurla Bhabha hospital, with some later transferred to Sion hospital and other private facilities.

The Olectra bus involved in the accident is one of 183 such vehicles in BEST's wet lease fleet of 1,900 buses, within their total fleet of 2,913 buses. BEST delayed releasing information about the incident until after 2 am.

"This was a wet lease bus where drivers are expected to complete trips. They are poorly paid by the wet lease operator as it is. We have been demanding that BEST needs to run its own fleet," said BEST union leader Shashank Sharad Rao.