Mumbai: A 60-year-old woman died after coming into contact with the left rear tyre of a BEST wet-lease bus at the ST Office traffic signal in Worli on Monday morning. The bus moved forward after the signal turned green while she was alighting from a taxi standing alongside it. The death has raised fresh questions over the safety of contractor-operated buses, even as BEST's own Traffic Department data shows that wet-lease buses recorded 12 fatal accidents and 12 fatalities between January and June 2026.
According to the incident report, the bus was travelling from Byculla Station to Lotus when it stopped at the signal. The woman, identified as Vanmala R. Sabale, was getting out of a taxi while the signal was red. When the signal turned green, the bus driver moved forward and she came into contact with the left rear tyre. She suffered severe head injuries and bleeding from her head and ear. The conductor immediately took her to Nair Hospital, where doctors declared her dead at 12.15 pm, before treatment could begin.
Following the incident, officials from Worli and Central depots, the accident officer, ACC and a wet-lease representative were sent to the accident site and hospital for further action. The circumstances of the crash are likely to be examined as part of the investigation.
The incident comes amid growing scrutiny of BEST's wet-lease operations. A Traffic Department report dated August 10, 2026, records zero fatal accidents and zero fatalities involving BEST-owned buses during the January-June period. In contrast, wet-lease buses recorded 12 fatal accidents and 12 fatalities. The report lists three fatal accidents each in January and February, two each in March and June, and two in May, with no fatal accidents recorded in April.
The figures are significant because contractor-operated buses now dominate BEST's fleet. Of its 2,801 buses, 2,553 are operated by private contractors, while only 249 are owned and operated by BEST. Wet-lease buses run on 349 of Mumbai's 400 routes and undertake more than 25,700 trips daily, making them the backbone of the city's bus network.
The latest death adds to demands for stricter inspections, better driver supervision and greater accountability among private operators.
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