BEST to install gas leak detectors at bus depots

Four days after a Brihanmumbai Electrical Supply and Transport (BEST) bus caught fire in Andheri, the undertaking bought 15 gas leak detectors.

Four days after a Brihanmumbai Electrical Supply and Transport (BEST) bus caught fire in Andheri, the undertaking bought 15 gas leak detectors.

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Gas leak detector is a device that checks whether there is leakage of gas from the bus’ storage tank or the pipe connecting to the engine.

Of the 25 BEST bus depots in the city, 14 already have these detectors. Now, the administration has decided to install gas leak detectors in the remaining 15 depots too.

But there are doubts if these detectors would ensure commuters’ safety.

The BEST bus that had caught fire on January 13 had left from Oshiwara bus depot, which has a gas leak detector, but the leakage was not detected. It is also not clear whether the bus was checked before it left the depot. A man had suffered 20% burns in the incident.

In a related development, the probe report, which was submitted by the BEST engineers to the committee on Monday, holds the Oshiwara depot staff and manufacturers responsible for the mishap.

The manufacturer has also been asked to pay compensation.

The BEST bus was one of the 800 CNG-run buses manufactured by Ashok Leyland. The BEST runs a total of 1,900 CNG-run buses across the city.

“We are in touch with the manufacturers and have asked them to check other CNG-run buses thoroughly,” said OP Gupta, general manager of the BEST.

Ashok Leyland has refused to comment on the issue.