BEST Electric Bus Crashes in Kurla, Kills Six and Injures 49
Six people lost their lives, and 49 others sustained injuries after a state-run bus collided with multiple vehicles on a busy road in Mumbai’s Kurla (West) on Monday night. The accident occurred at approximately 9:50 PM.
CCTV footage captured the chilling moment when the red BEST bus, traveling at high speed, first crashed into an autorickshaw before hitting other vehicles and pedestrians. The bus eventually smashed into the gates of a residential complex. According to a municipal corporation official, the brakes of the bus might have failed, leading to the tragic incident.
The injured were rushed to Sion and Kurla Bhabha Hospitals for treatment. The bus, operating on route number 332, was traveling from Kurla station to Andheri at the time of the accident.
The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking, which operates public transport across Mumbai and adjoining areas, confirmed that the vehicle involved was a 12-meter-long electric bus. It was manufactured by Olectra and had been leased to BEST under a wet lease agreement. The private operator supplying these buses is also responsible for providing drivers, an official stated.
The electric bus, only three months old, was registered on August 20, 2024, under the ownership of EVEY Trans, according to details shared by the Tardeo regional transport office (RTO). Authorities are now investigating the exact cause of the accident, including the possibility of brake failure.
