A BEST wet lease bus stuck near Thakurdwar signal on Monday morning after road suddenly caved in near an ongoing Metro 3 construction site. The incident occurred around 9:30 am, causing brief traffic disruptions but no injuries.
"The bus, operating on Route No. 121 from Backbay to J. Mehta Marg, was halted when its rear left tyre sank into a cave formed due to a sudden ground collapse near the Thakurdwar Junction," said an official. The collapse is suspected to be linked to water ingress at a nearby construction site for a rehabilitation building by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL).
According to BEST, a towing van and crane were arranged. By 10:45 am, the bus was removed and sent to the Backbay Depot for inspection. BEST officials later confirmed that the bus suffered only a minor dent and was otherwise in working condition
“The bus was in good condition and, despite the road collapse, was able to operate after being moved,” a BEST spokesperson stated.
The road damage caused temporary traffic diversions for Route No. 121. In the 'Up' direction, traffic was rerouted from Kalaniketan via alternate roads, bypassing Thakurdwar Junction. For the 'Down' direction, buses were diverted via Charushila Gupta Chowk along M.K. Road.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the road collapse was caused by a water leak into the basement pit of a proposed MMRCL rehabilitation project. The leak, believed to have originated from a nearby utility line, created an underground cavity that ultimately led to the surface giving way.
In a statement issued on Monday, MMRCL said, “We are actively coordinating with the BMC to identify and fix the source of the leak — whether from the water main, sewer main, or stormwater drainage network. Immediate restoration work is underway to repair the road and prevent similar incidents.”
