Mumbai: Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde faced an embarrassing situation on Tuesday morning after a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus carrying her reportedly broke down during an official inspection tour, delaying the scheduled civic visit and once again raising concerns over the condition of Mumbai’s public transport fleet.
According to reports, Tawde was travelling as part of a pre-monsoon inspection and review tour organised by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation when the BEST bus developed a technical snag midway through the journey.
The unexpected breakdown forced civic officials, staff members and accompanying personnel to halt the tour temporarily before alternate arrangements were made to continue the inspection. A video shared by Marathi news portal Jai Maharashtra showed BEST and civic officials pushing the vehicle after it broke down midway.
BEST Bus Repaired Within 20 Minutes After Breakdown
BEST officials and technical teams had rushed to the spot after the bus stopped functioning. The vehicle was reportedly repaired within around 20 minutes, after which the journey resumed. No injuries or safety concerns were reported, though the incident caused disruption during the high-profile civic visit.
The episode has once again brought attention to the operational challenges faced by BEST, which has been under scrutiny in recent months over its ageing fleet, maintenance standards, delays and frequent breakdown complaints from commuters.
Meanwhile, the incident occurred on the same day the Mayor chose to travel by Mumbai’s suburban railway network as part of a symbolic public transport outreach linked to fuel-saving efforts and monsoon preparedness inspections.
Ritu Tawde Takes Mumbai Local
Earlier in the day, Tawde travelled from Ghatkopar to Dadar in an AC local train while heading for inspections of key stormwater pumping stations, including Britannia, Lovegrove and Cleveland, which play a critical role in preventing flooding during Mumbai’s monsoon season.
Videos of the Mayor’s train journey later went viral on social media. In the clips, Tawde can be seen standing in a queue at Ghatkopar station, boarding the AC local without VIP protocol and initially travelling while standing before a fellow passenger offered her a seat.
The Mayor was also seen interacting with commuters during the journey and travelling with minimal security presence, which did not appear to disrupt fellow passengers during rush hour.
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