Mumbai: BEST Bus Rolls Forward In Vikhroli, Injures Labourer And Damages Tea Stall After Driver Leaves It Unattended | File Photo
Mumbai: The issue of the safety of BEST buses has come to the fore once again. A BEST bus hit an individual in Vikhroli’s Kannamwar Nagar on Saturday. The incident occurred after the bus driver started the bus and then went to the restroom, causing the bus to suddenly pick up speed. The bus subsequently rolled forward, hitting a daily wage labourer working at a nearby construction site before crashing into a tea stall.
The police stated that the bus driver, Santosh Devulkar, 55, was not under the influence of alcohol. The incident took place on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at the Kannamwar bus depot in Vikhroli East.
According to the police, on Saturday morning at Janta Market, near the Kannamwar 2 bus stop, a BEST bus (MH 03 EG 1434) was travelling from Vikhroli to Andheri. At the Bus Depot in Kannamwar Nagar 2, the bus driver kept the bus in neutral mode to allow air into the wheels and went to the restroom. The bus was on a slope, which caused it to pick up speed. The bus subsequently rolled forward for almost 40 meters and collided with a tea stall named ‘The Tea Bar.’ A man seated near the stall sustained injuries to his left hand, and the stall was also damaged in the incident. The victim’s name is Lipun Rana, 20.
According to the police, the man sustained minor injuries, such as scratches, and did not require treatment. They recorded statements from both Rana and the tea stall owner, Pandutang Sawant. Neither filed a complaint. The police administered a breathalyzer test on the driver and found that he was not under the influence of alcohol. The police are continuing their investigation.
This incident comes weeks after a BEST bus lost control in Kurla, resulting in the death of nine people. The Kannamwar Nagar BEST Bus Depot, located in the Vikhroli East, is very busy and has two colleges nearby. In this case, the bus driver carelessly left the bus running and went to the washroom in the control room of the depot. This incident once again raises questions about the operations of BEST buses.
