Mumbai: On the weekly meeting of the BEST, members of the committee sought immediate medical reforms in all its depots across the city.
The move came three days after 62-year-old BEST driver, Babaramu Alkar died of heart attack on duty. The elderly driver suffered chest pains on January 14 morning, when he reported to duty in Dindoshi depot.
Depot Manager (DM), DM Sapkale asked colleagues to take him to hospital as the pain rose and he was rushed to the BMC-run Trauma Centre Hospital at Jogeshwari (East). Due to heavy traffic, Sapkale couldn’t make it and took his last breathe on the way.
Taking a serious note, Congress corporator from Borivli (W) Bhushan Patil wrote to BEST chairman, Anil Patankar seeking immediate reform in the BEST mediclaim policy. Patil also sought immediate probe as to why Alkar was being taken to government hospital when there were private hospitals nearby.
“In a BEST circular passed in 2014, it is clearly mentioned that workers who are injured on duty must be admitted to private hospitals on emergency basis when there is no government hospital nearby. Despite which Alkar was taken to trauma centre hospital which is an hour away from the Dindoshi depot,” said Patil.
“Manager Sapkale must answer if Alkar was taken to BMC hospital for cost cutting purpose. BEST may be running through loss, but that doesn’t mean life of the employees will go in vain like this,” added Patil.
Echoing Patil's statement committee member and former corporator Sunil Ganacharya stated, this is the third on duty death that has happened in the Dindoshi depot in the last one year. Pointing out to the unhygienic conditions in the depot, he mentioned - “First and foremost the sanitary and hygenic conditions are needs to be implemented at the depot, also there is need of medical camps to ensure the employees get immediate first aid,” stated Ganacharya.
He also demanded, since the bus fares were waived off in July 2019, there has been a rise in number of commuters this makes the job of a conductor hectic. Thus he suggested a circular needs to pass which will affix the conductor to sit on his place while the commutters get the tickets by passing money to him.
However Chairman, Patankar has adjourned the decision on the motion untill next committee meeting.
