Mumbai: On Thursday morning, BEST bus (wet lease) driver in Mumbai averted a potential disaster by swiftly maneuvering the vehicle onto a divider after experiencing brake failure near August Kranti Maidan. An official commended the driver's decisive action, which effectively prevented a serious accident. No one injured in this incidence, an investigations is to find out the exact cause of the incident.
A video of the incident shows the bus halted on the divider, having lightly collided with an empty truck. Remarkably, no injuries were reported.
According to the BEST, incident occurred at approximately 10:55 am when the bus, operating on route 155 from Mumbai Central, struck the truck after the brakes malfunctioned. The bus is part of the fleet supplied by Daga Group of Companies, which operates wet-leased buses for BEST. An ongoing investigation is examining the exact cause of the brake failure.
According to sources, three companies—Hansa City Bus Service Private Limited, SMT ATPL Associates (Daga Group), and MP Group—are responsible for operating wet-leased buses in Mumbai on behalf of BEST undertaking.
A BEST's official emphasized that all vehicles undergo daily checks by technical staff before being introduced into service.
Currently, BEST relies heavily on wet-leased buses due to a significant reduction in its fleet of self-owned buses. Out of the approximately 3,000 buses operating daily, over 2,000 are on wet lease. The number of daily passengers is around 35 lakh. The organization has not purchased new buses in recent years, a situation leading to ongoing disputes with the workers' union.
The workers' union has been advocating for the procurement of new buses, citing concerns over the safety and reliability of the current fleet. A union leader expressed frustration over the lack of new acquisitions, highlighting this as a core issue in their prolonged struggle for better working conditions and service improvements.
"This incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing Mumbai’s public transport system" said a leader of workers union.
In a wet lease agreement, the lessor provides the vehicle along with maintenance, insurance, and at least one crew member. The lessee pays the lessor based on the number of operational hours or the distance the vehicle travels.
