Mumbai: The fatal Mankhurd bus crash, in which a 62-year-old pedestrian was killed and 10 others were injured after a wet-lease bus operating for BEST allegedly suffered brake failure, has once again brought the maintenance of Mumbai's contractor-operated bus fleet under scrutiny. While the driver claimed the brakes failed, BEST's preliminary inspection said no technical defect had been found in the bus so far. Police are investigating the exact cause of the accident.
The Route 501 bus, operated by Mateshwari Urban Transport Solutions Pvt. Ltd., lost control while descending the Mankhurd flyover on Monday morning. The accident comes amid a series of recent incidents involving wet-lease buses, including alleged brake failures, fires, breakdowns and technical faults, raising concerns over the effectiveness of preventive maintenance and safety inspections.
BEST committee member Ajay Singh said he had repeatedly flagged concerns over the maintenance of wet-lease buses before the authorities. "I had already raised concerns regarding the maintenance of contractor-operated buses and had written to the BEST administration on this issue. Regular maintenance and strict inspections are essential to prevent such incidents. Passenger safety cannot be compromised," Singh said.
Although BEST has stated that no mechanical complaint was recorded for the bus since July 19 and that the preliminary inspection did not reveal any technical defect, the undertaking has issued a show-cause notice to the operator, Mateshwari Urban Transport Solutions Pvt. Ltd., and imposed a ₹50,000 penalty. The damaged bus has been kept at Mankhurd Police Station for a detailed technical examination, while police continue to investigate whether the crash was caused by a mechanical failure, human error or any other factor.
The latest accident is expected to intensify demands for independent maintenance audits of wet-lease buses, stricter monitoring of private operators and stronger accountability to ensure the safety of passengers and road users.
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Timeline: Major Wet-Lease Bus Incidents (May–July 2026)
May 3: Smoke emanated from the battery compartment of a wet-lease bus.
May 12: Air-conditioning failed on a wet-lease bus.
May 14: Four wet-lease buses collided in Andheri.
May 19: A wet-lease bus carrying Mayor Ritu Tawde developed a technical fault.
May 21: A wet-lease bus collided with an autorickshaw on the Juhu-Versova Link Road.
May 25: Two wet-lease buses caught fire at Pratiksha Nagar depot.
May 27: A non-AC CNG wet-lease bus caught fire in Santacruz.
May 30: A wet-lease bus met with an accident in Jogeshwari West.
May 31: A road accident involving a wet-lease bus occurred in Mankhurd.
June 1: A wet-lease bus ran over a horse's leg.
June 4: A wet-lease bus crashed into a parked vehicle, killing one person.
June 5: A wet-lease bus broke down in Bandra West due to a technical fault.
June 8: An alleged brake failure involving a wet-lease bus near Dadar killed one person.
June 8: Two pedestrians were injured after being hit by a wet-lease bus in Gorai.
June 9: A slab collapsed at the Shivaji Nagar depot.
June 10: Smoke was seen coming from a wet-lease bus tyre near Jamboree Maidan.
June 13: Minor traffic accident involving a wet-lease bus at Shivaji Nagar Junction; no injuries.
June 25: A Switch Mobility electric bus collided with a taxi outside Colaba depot.
July 4: A Switch Mobility double-decker electric bus rolled into parked vehicles after a failed start.
July 8: A man was trapped after a reversing wet-lease bus hit him before crashing into other vehicles.
July 10: An alleged brake failure led a wet-lease bus to collide with four vehicles.
July 20: A Route 501 wet-lease bus operated by Mateshwari Urban Transport Solutions Pvt. Ltd. crashed near the Mankhurd flyover, killing one pedestrian and injuring 10 others. BEST imposed a ₹50,000 penalty on the contractor while police launched an investigation.
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