‘Frivolous cases tackled, genuine ones ignored’

The buses of Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) have claimed 15 lives since January 2012, but the civic administration, instead of correcting the erroneous system, seems to be busy removing so-called ‘obscene’ posters from its buses, say citizens and activists.

The buses of Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) have claimed 15 lives since January 2012, but the civic administration, instead of correcting the erroneous system, seems to be busy removing so-called ‘obscene’ posters from its buses, say citizens and activists.

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The complaints about BEST drivers are numerous, such as rash driving and not following traffic rules. However, the mayor has never written a letter to the BEST administration, activists said.

“We have been raising this issue at every committee meeting. Such accidents should not happen. I had moved a proposal to appoint special officers who will travel in buses as common citizens to supervise driving,” said Ravi Raja, BEST committee member. He added that drivers alone are not to blame, the condition of Mumbai’s roads is also deplorable.

In the last three months alone, there have been seven deaths in accidents involving BEST buses. This is in stark contrast with the claim made by the administration that the number of accidents involving BEST drivers is low.

Prabhu has claimed that he did what he thought was good for society. “If I get a complaint about rash driving, then I will raise the issue with the BEST administration,” he said.