Andheri BEST bus crash: Injured orthodontist's family seeks accountability after mishap

The 33-year-old orthodontist is convalescing at Matoshree Hospital in Dombivli. Pics/By Special Arrangement

Dr Sakshi Petkar, a 33-year-old orthodontist from Dombivli, was crossing SV Road in Andheri to select tiles for her new Bandra residence when an out-of-control BEST bus that was allegedly speeding knocked her down on Friday, July 10.

According to eyewitnesses, Dr Petkar, mother to a two-year-old, was the first of at least six people who were injured in the mishap involving the wet-lease bus on route 242, which rammed into 14 southbound vehicles that were awaiting a green signal near the Andheri subway.

Speaking to mid-day on Monday, Dr Petkar and her family opened up about the traumatic experience and the challenges that lie ahead. As his wife remains hospitalised, facing a long recovery, Ajay Singh, 35, expressed dissatisfaction with the authorities and the media coverage for treating the matter as just another incident, demanding strict action and accountability from the authorities.

Survivor's account

‘I was crossing the road to catch a cab. I had looked both ways before crossing. There were no speeding vehicles in sight. When I neared the divider, the bus came speeding. I tried to completely get out of harm's way by crossing, but couldn't make it in time. I was thrown face-first onto the divider. I was conscious but dizzy. Blood was dripping down my face; barbed wire and branches had bruised me all over.

I was in extreme pain. Two men helped me up, and a kind woman accompanied me to the Millat Nursing Home, where I got first aid. While I was lying there, I was just thinking about my daughter, praying that I would survive for her sake. Now that I lie here hospitalised, slowly recovering, I worry about my prospects: I am an orthodontist, how will I practise with my hands not being what they used to be? I had to cancel patients' appointments.

I had planned a second clinic in Bandra, but now I won't be able to. I can't see my daughter, who was just settling in at playschool. I want to know what the authorities are doing to prevent a repeat. Is it the driver's fault or a systemic lapse?'

Family's concerns

Ajay Singh, the husband of survivor, told mid-day, "We had better access to healthcare as we are a family of doctors, but what if someone less privileged had been hit? BEST just came, noted information, said sorry, and left. No information was given regarding status of our case. No procedure was shared regarding support and compensation. If this is their procedure, they really need to improve. In news reports the authorities seemed to report the case as just another incident; are we becoming so casual about these accidents?" Singh said. The wet-lease system lowers BEST's accountability by design. They simply brush off incidents. These buses must be audited; what are they doing to prevent this from happening again?" he said.

‘She had lost a lot of blood'

Dr Nikhil Patil, orthopaedic surgeon, who is treating Dr Petkar at Dombivli East's Matoshree Hospital, said her complete recovery requires two months of bed rest. "She has contused lacerated wounds on the right side of her forehead and left side of the arm, a right-side clavicle fracture, a pubic bone fracture, and multiple abrasions on the body. She had also lost a lot of blood before being brought in under my care," he said.

Spouse Speaks

Ajay Singh, husband of survivor ‘Newspapers had played down my wife's injuries as minor. These ‘minor injuries' are a fractured scapula, a fractured pelvic bone, extensive blood loss from her forehead, and bruises across her body that need stitches and dressing constantly. The framing of these articles makes this another ‘by-the-way' incident. This is a mother of a 2.5-year-old girl, who runs a clinic and, through years of hard work, was on the cusp of opening a second one. Everything was derailed by the hands of an inefficient system. For how many months will she be on bed rest? For how many months will my daughter tell me, ‘I miss mumma. Bring her back'? How long do we have to reel under loss of income?

BEST officials who visited the family did not give any clarity about how to proceed. We were approached by a third-party agency which claimed that they would help our case against the BEST. I might've signed their proposal, but fortunately, I read it thoroughly and got to know that they are just middlemen, who are doing this for commission. What would I have done in this situation if I were in a more vulnerable state?'

BEST Response

Trushna Vishwasrao, chairperson, BEST Committee
‘I was told that the victim had sustained minor injuries. BEST officials were coordinating with the family. I will personally look into the case. We have taken cognisance of the fact that BEST's wet-lease buses tend to be involved in accidents. We had taken all the measures to prevent this, directing contractors to provide better training to drivers and carry out depot-level health audits of buses. Yet the accidents continue. We have again launched a fresh probe into the matter; the report is awaited'

[popcorn number="July 10" desc="Day incident occurred" class="Default"]