Four killed, 9 hurt as reversing BEST bus crashes into pedestrians in Mumbai's Bhandup

Four people, including three women, died and nine were injured after a reversing bus of Mumbai's civic-run transport undertaking BEST knocked down pedestrians on Monday night, a police official said.

The incident took place around 10 pm at the busy Station Road in suburban Bhandup (West).

Four people, including three women, died, while nine were injured in the accident. The injured were admitted to a nearby hospital, said the police official.

He said the bus driver was detained and an FIR was being registered against him.

In a message, Sucheta Utale, Public Relations Officer of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), said the accident occurred outside Bhandup (West) railway station around 10.05 pm.

She said that at the time of the accident, Santosh Ramesh Sawant (52), a BEST staff driver, was driving the bus, while Bhagwan Bhau Ghare (47) was on duty as the conductor.

A senior civic official told PTI on the condition of anonymity that the accident occurred when the driver was reversing the bus at end point of its route.

The wet leased midi bus involved in the accident was hired from Olectra Greentech. Under the wet lease model adopted by BEST, contactor or operator bears fuel, driver and maintenance cost of the bus, he explained.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those killed in the accident.

In a post on X, he described the incident as "extremely unfortunate" and paid heartfelt tributes to the deceased.

He said nine people were injured in the accident and prayed for their speedy recovery.

"The state government will provide financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the legal heirs of the deceased," the CM said.

Earlier this year, mini buses, which were being operated on crowded routes connecting Bhandup station in eastern suburbs to slum-dominated areas close to foothills of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, were withdrawn from BEST fleet.

Despite operational constraints like inadequate turning radius, BEST, facing shortage of buses, introduced Olectra-made midi buses on routes from Bhandup (West) station, the official said.

BEST operates a large fleet of buses, covering the city and its neighbouring urban areas.

Mumbai Congress president and Lok Sabha MP Varsha Gaikwad sought an inquiry into the accident.

"This is extremely saddening. Faulty buses, untrained drivers and an administration unwilling to invest in and improve BEST are risking several lives on a daily basis. We demand a thorough inquiry into this incident," said Gaikwad.