10 June,2026 09:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika Gondhalekar
BEST bus driver Vikas Padare speaks to visiting colleagues in his room at Sion Hospital on Tuesday. PIC/RITIKA GONDHALEKAR
A day after he allegedly lost control of a BEST bus near Plaza Cinema junction in Dadar, leaving one person dead and six others injured, Vikas Padare remains admitted in Sion hospital, grappling not only with his injuries but also emotional trauma.
Speaking exclusively to mid-day from his hospital bed, Padare, 42, recounted the terrifying moments before the crash. "I tried my best to keep the damage to a minimum. The vehicle suddenly went out of control, and in those few seconds, all I could think about was preventing a bigger tragedy."
According to doctors, Padare's left leg is fractured, and he will need six months to recover. "He is the only earning member of our family. We are worried about what lies ahead," said the bus driver's wife, Aditi. "We were getting by on his meagre monthly salary of Rs 23,000. We also have a Rs 18-lakh home loan," said Aditi.
Padare said that when electric BEST buses were introduced, drivers were given training that lasted three days. "An accident is an accident. I still don't know what was wrong with this particular bus. I applied all my training and skills. I have been working as a driver even before I joined BEST in 2021," he said, adding, "I have never even touched any vehicle while driving. This is the first time that I have met with an accident. I don't even have any existing ailments," he stated.
BEST Committee Chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao comforts the kin of a victim at Sion hospital
BEST Committee Chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao, meanwhile, held discussions with the undertaking's administration and facilitated financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for severely injured accident victim Vrishab Gupta on behalf of bus operators EV Trans Pvt Ltd. "The assistance was handed over to Gupta's mother during a visit to Sion Hospital. Gupta's family was assured of all necessary help and support," said an official.
Vikas Padare's wife, Aditi; daughter, Janvi; and brother-in-law Sajah Vasant Agare. Janvi recently cleared the SSC exam with 86 per cent and the family celebrated her performance a few days ago
Vrishab Gupta, one of the six accident victims who sustained multiple injuries, has been shifted to the male surgical general ward. "He has a head fracture. Though he is out of danger, he will take a long time to recover," said Dr Vidya Mahale, deputy dean, Sion Hospital. The other five individuals have either been discharged or left the hospital after opting to be discharged against medical advice.
Padare said he had been assigned a total of four trips on Monday. "I plied route no. 463, between Plaza Cinema and Dharavi depot, twice, after which I was supposed to do one more round on it and then route no. 164. I rested before starting my third round. I didn't think I would not complete my duty on Monday," he said.
Padare said he started the bus at Veer Kotwal Garden and was heading to the first stop at Plaza Cinema. "The moment I kept my foot on the brakes and released the handbrake, the bus picked up speed. I tried to hit the brakes and pull the handbrake again, but the vehicle wasn't stopping at all. I tried to apply the brakes while proceeding from Veer Kotwal Garden to Plaza Circle. But when I realised that something was definitely wrong with the brakes, I just focused on ensuring the least damage to life and property."
Padare stated that turning the bus instead of letting it proceed dead ahead was the only option. "If I had allowed the bus to ram into whatever lay ahead, a lot of people would have been hurt, so I turned it in the direction of Sena Bhavan. But as soon as I saw a huge crowd on that street, I turned the wheel to the right, steering the bus towards Dadar TT Circle, as there were no vehicles and a crane was parked there. The idea was to halt the bus by dashing it into the crane."
The body of the deceased, Niyaz Ahmed Shaikh, was released by the hospital on Monday night. His uncle, Rauz Ali, said, "We took his remains to his village in Uttar Pradesh. His father has lost most of his vision and his mother can't travel, so it was impossible to bring them to Mumbai. His last rites will be conducted on Wednesday morning."
The Shivaji Park police, who are investigating the incident, said they were yet to record Padare's statement. "We have not yet received clearance from the doctors treating him. The moment he is declared fit, we will go to the hospital and record his statement," a police officer said.
Inputs by Aishwarya Iyer and Rajendra B Aklekar
