Dadar BEST bus accident: Driver being made a scapegoat, allege committee members

Nitin Nandgaonkar, a member of the BEST committee. Pic/X/@NitinNandgaonk3; (right) BEST bus driver Vikas Padare speaks to visiting colleagues in his room at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in Sion on June 9. Pic/Ritika Gondhalekar

BEST committee members allege that the bus driver in the Dadar incident is being made a scapegoat to protect the interests of wet-lease contractors and to cover up failures in maintenance practices.

Speaking at the side-lights of adjournment of the committee meeting on Saturday, member Nitin Nandgaonkar said, "As per statements given, the driver was smart enough to swerve the bus to save lives, but not brake it hard? He kept the accelerator pressed? Something is wrong in the narrative. All of this is happening with a particular brand of buses, which means the buses have been faulty all the time. The BEST higher-ups are trying to cover up for wet-lease operators or the manufacturers by not inspecting the buses thoroughly," he said. He added that he had called for a detailed investigation of all such aspects.

BEST's version

As per the undertaking's narrative, the electric bus involved in the accident had been parked in driving mode instead of neutral or parking mode, and that is how it sped uncontrollably once the handbrake was released, as per preliminary information. BEST said the driver, Vikas Padare, 44, had saved lives by taking the vehicle on the curve and the Tilak bridge incline to reduce its speed.

OfficialSpeak

BEST Chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao said all aspects of the accident would be investigated thoroughly. "Taking note of the seriousness of this accident, a four-member committee of senior BEST officials has been formed to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter and submit a report to the administration," she said.